Softball loses pitching duel to No. 20 Michigan


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The softball team huddles together during the Chippewas game against the University of Michigan on March 28 at Margo Jonker Stadium.

The Central Michigan softball team fell to No. 20 Michigan 2-0, in a game that was tightly contested from start to finish with both pitchers competing at a high level.

It was Michigan's senior ace Megan Besta who came out on top. Besta got her 11th win of the season, while adding nine strikeouts and allowing one hit. 

The Chippewas dropped to 17-9 on the season and have lost back-to-back games for the first time since the opening the season on a five-game losing streak.

Senior pitcher Rachael Knapp took the loss for CMU, tallying two strikeouts and allowing five hits to drop to 10-5 on the season. Both runs were charged to Knapp.

Knapp said it was business as usual Tuesday despite playing against another top-tier pitcher. 

“I just take it one step at a time, one batter at a time, one pitch at a time,” she said. “I try to play the game normal and not play against who the uniform is that is facing us.”

Michigan’s senior center fielder Kelly Christner did most of the damage at the plate against CMU. Christner went 2-for-2 with a home run and single to drive in both runs for the Wolverines.

Head coach Margo Jonker said the game was between the two pitchers, and they both gave everything they had.

“Both pitchers did well in this game,” Jonker said. “I’ve been watching (Besta) and it was one of her better games, but Knapp pitched well also and it was a really good game for her. Im proud of Rachel for keeping them down that much. We just needed more offense.”

Both pitchers cruised through the first couple of innings allowing no hits until Christner hit her fifth home run of the season to break the scoreless tie in the third inning. 

Besta countered by striking out the side and showed little signs of slowing down through three innings, holding CMU hit less.

After CMU's offense showed life in the bottom of the fourth by getting runners on first and second, Besta settled in again and retired the next three batters to escape the jam. 

Michigan was threatening with a runner on second base, when Christner came through again. She nailed an RBI-single back up the middle to extend the Wolverine lead 2-0 in the top of the fifth.

The two pitchers continued to battle keeping the score the same going into the final inning, when the Wolverines loaded the bases with nobody out, threatening to blow the doors off of the Chippewas.

Knapp didn't flinch forcing back-to-back pop outs and a ground out to second base, to give the Chippewas one last chance heading into the bottom of the seventh. 

However, Besta was just too much once again, as she set the Chippewas down in order to finish the game. 

Curtis got the only hit for the Chippewas in the game. The only other two base runners came on walks. CMU had one runner in scoring position the entire game.

Jonker said CMU’s hitting needs to do more for the team to win games against pitching like it saw Tuesday.

“If you don’t get hits, it is impossible to win the game,” she said. “Obviously if you can’t score you can’t score and that’s how that game works. I’m not worried about this team bouncing back.”

CMU will be back in action on Friday to start a three-game weekend set against Kent State. First pitch will be at 3 p.m. from Margo Jonker Stadium.

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