Softball's defense key in win over Bowling Green
Central Michigan softball defeated Eastern Michigan 5-2 on a walk-off home run Saturday. The Chippewas wore pink jerseys for breast cancer awareness.
Fueled from freshman Taylor Weaver’s quality start and her third complete-game in the circle, Central Michigan University Softball disposed of Bowling Green State University 5-2.
Making her first start in the circle since April 14th against Oakland University, Weaver retired the first 10 batters she faced, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning.
In seven innings of work, the Romeo-native fooled the Falcon hitters and was given quality defense behind her all afternoon, striking out three and giving up a pair of runs.
Her record improves to 3-3 on the season while her ERA drops to 4.27.
“Taylor Weaver hasn’t had much pitching in the circle and I thought she did an amazing job,” said Head Coach Margo Jonker. “I’m so happy for her-that she could have such a good ballgame and keep (BGSU) off-balance early on.”
“Only in the last inning (the Falcons) really started making good contact.”
The Chippewa defense helped Weaver out of a two-out situation with runners on the corners in the top of the fifth inning. Catching a BGSU runner in a run down and then throwing a runner out trying to take home plate ended the Falcon threat for good.
The Chippewas (25-20, 12-7 in Mid-American Conference) played a fundamentally sound game with quality defense behind their young hurler throughout the afternoon.
Junior first baseman Katelyn Rentschler opened up the scoring for the Chippewas in the bottom of the first frame on a line drive base hit to left field, allowing senior shortstop Trista Cox to score.
In continuing her hot hitting streak, Rentschler finished her day with two RBIs and a run scored, going 2-for-3 in the process. Cox went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
“The three-four-five spots are the people who are supposed to come through with the RBIs,” Jonker said. “At this time in the season right now, Rentschler is really seeing the ball really well and DeLamielleure is seeing the ball quite well too.”
“Cox has been consistent all year long, hitting at about the same average that she is now about all year long.”
Holding onto the 1-0 lead early, CMU deposited a pair of runs two innings later to pad the narrow margin against their MAC opponents.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the third inning, junior second baseman Chelsea DeLamielleure drove in a couple of runs on a single to left field, making it a 3-0 CMU lead.
A two-out triple hit by Rentschler in the fifth inning scored Cox to extend the Chippewa’s lead to 4-0. This was followed by another two-out RBI base hit by DeLamielleure to score Rentschler, making it a 5-0 margin
“I think it’s adding to (DeLamielleure’s) confidence that Rentschler hits so well.”
DeLamielleure finished in the victory going 2-for-3, with three total RBIs.
CMU will finish its regular season at 1 p.m. on Sunday as they will take on BGSU for the final installment of regular season softball from Margo Jonker Stadium in 2015.
“We want to finish it strong for a lot of reasons,” Jonker said. “One, it’s our last home game- the seniors’ last time they will play on this field, there’s a lot of emotion that way.”
“You want to finish strong so that you’re going into the MAC Tournament on a good note. You want to be going into the tournament confidently.”
