Softball falls to Bowling Green in rained-shortened game, nine-game win streak snapped
Senior outfielder, Evelyn Lorimer, attempts to bunt the ball on Mar. 25th at Margo stadium
Bowling Green defeated Central Michigan, 5-3 in a weather-shortened softball game Saturday.
The Chippewas fell to 17-8 overall and 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The loss snapped a nine-game win streak for the Chippewas.
The game was called after five innings due to the cold and the rain. Head coach Margo Jonker said the biggest factor in the game was obvious.
“We questioned the entire time if we should even start the game," she said. "Looking back now we probably shouldn't have. It was clear the weather was a big factor. Bad weather evens up teams. Both teams had to deal with it, it’s just a part of the gig when you play in March in Michigan.”
CMU took the overall series 2-1 after two wins against the Falcons on Friday.
Senior pitcher Rachel Knapp took the loss, falling to 10-4 on the season. The St. Joseph native went the complete five innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, but only one of those were earned. Knapp tallied four strikeouts and three walks.
The game got off to slow start like expected with two pitchers who have under three earned run averages. It wasn't until the third inning when CMU made its move.
With runners on second and third and nobody out, sophomore outfielder Allison Curtis hit a soft ground ball to second base, but BGSU’s Taylor Blevins couldn't handle it, bobbling the ball and then proceeding to throw it past the first baseman.
The error on Blevins allowed senior Evelyn Lorimer to score from third base, giving the Chippewas a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
Blevins got a run back for her team by drilling a single right back up the middle, tying the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Then Alex Sorgi got a infield single, which gave BGSU its first lead of the game.
An error by freshman shortstop Morgan Gardner extended the Falcons lead to 3-1. BGSU followed that up with a single from Aspen Searle, pushing their led to 5-1.
CMU didn't take long to answer as Curtis hit a two-out single to cut BGSU's lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth.
After Knapp returned to the mound and worked a scoreless top of the fifth, CMU stranded a pair of runners to end the fifth, which turned out to be the end of the game.
The Chippewas finished with two errors in the game.
Curtis had the biggest day hitting wise for the Chippewas, going 1-for-3 with a single and a run batted in (RBI). Searle had the big hit for the Falcons, going 1-for-3 with a single that gave her two RBI’s.
CMU will resume play at 4 p.m. on Tuesday against No. 23 Michigan at Margo Jonker stadium, which is a part of an eight-game home stand for the Chippewas.
Jonker said the team doesn't need to change it’s mentality going into the game against an opponent like the Wolverines.
“They are obviously a great program and a solid team, but the mindset is you just go and play the game regardless of who the opponent is,” she said. “It happens to be Michigan on Tuesday, but it was Bowling Green today, and we didn't get it done.”
