Softball: Spartans deliver Chippewas fourth straight loss


MSU 10, CMU 7


The Central Michigan softball team lost to in-state rival Michigan State on Wednesday as the teams met in East Lansing for their only meeting this season.

MSU (19-14, 1-2 Big Ten) defeated CMU (13-16, 0-3 Mid-American Conference) 10-7 at Secchia Stadium to hand the Chippewas their fourth straight loss. The team was swept by Kent State over the weekend in a three-game series.

Junior starting pitcher Rachael Knapp (7-7, 2.72 ERA) took the mound for Central Michigan looking to rebound after losing both of her starts over the weekend.

The St. Joseph native went 5 1/3 innings for the Chippewas, surrendering 10 runs (six earned) on 10 hits and three walks. 

Sophomore Laura Vaccaro (1-0, 4.67) came in for relief in the sixth inning after an RBI single by Spartan second baseman McKenzie Long.

While the Chippewas tied the Spartans in hits (11), CMU left seven runners on base and committed three errors on defense.

After scoring no runs against the Golden Flashes in a doubleheader on Saturday, the CMU offense broke out of its slump in the fifth inning when senior shortstop CarolAnn Sexauer hit a three-run home run (4) off of MSU pitcher Kristina Zalewski (8-8, 3.23), to cut the lead to 7-5.

Trailing 10-5 in the top of the seventh inning, CMU had the bases loaded with one out. Senior first baseman Katelyn Rentschler hit an RBI double to score one run. After senior second baseman Chelsea DeLamielleure hit an infield single, sophomore left fielder Sydney Health hit a blooper single to score another run and cut the lead to 10-7.

Heath finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

With the tying runs on base, junior catcher Danielle Marlink stepped to the plate, but popped out to end the game.

The Chippewas will look to end their losing streak on Friday when the team returns to Margo Jonker Stadium to start a three-game series against Akron at 3 p.m. 

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