Softball takes pair of games against Florida A&M
Junior Molly Coldren stepped into the batters box trying to end Central Michigan’s opening weekend on a good note in extra innings.
One swing of the bat later she hit a game-winning two-run homer. The bomb gave CMU an 8-7 win, its second win on Sunday as they swept Florida A&M (4-5) in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Chippewas won 3-0 in the first game as sophomore Kara Dornbos pitched her first-ever complete game shutout. After winning both games, CMU split the weekend with a 3-3 record.
Game 1
The scoreless pitchers duel ended in the bottom of the fifth inning when CMU took advantage of Florida A&M miscues.
Sophomore Summer Knoop singled to begin the inning and a Rattlers error put two runners on. A double by senior Amanda Patrick and single by senior Kari Seddon scored two runs, and two wild pitches later CMU found itself with a 3-0 lead.
Dornbos didn’t look back with that lead. She only gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six Rattlers.
Florida A&M had an opportunity to score after back-to-back singles in the fourth, but freshman Francesca Singletary was thrown out at second base trying to stretch a single into a double to end the inning.
Game 2
The CMU offense came to life in the second game of the day. After only scoring six runs in five games, the team exploded for eight runs, winning 8-7 in eight innings.
The offense wasted no time as leadoff hitter sophomore Macy Merchant reached on a bunt single and stole second base. Two hits and an error later, CMU snagged a 2-0 lead.
Coldren wasn’t the only Chippewa who took a Florida A&M pitch over the fence. Sophomore Brogan Darwin hit a three-run shot in the third inning, after Brittini Merchant reached on an error and Seddon doubled, pushing CMU’s lead to 5-1.
The Rattlers scored four unanswered runs, including a sacrifice fly, in the bottom of the seventh to stay alive, sending the game into extra innings.
Then CMU’s offense struck again. Seddon got her second hit of the game, driving in Merchant, followed by Coldren’s two run shot.
Down 8-5 the Rattlers didn’t give up. A bases-loaded single by junior Whitney Robinson cut the Chippewas lead to one and put two runners on base.
With the game-tying run on second base and winning run on first, freshman Chelsea Sundberg had to face the Rattlers clean-up hitter, redshirt freshman Taylor West.
Sundberg struck her out looking to earn her second win of the weekend and CMU’s third of the season.
CMU (3-3) will be off until spring break, when the team travels to Clearwater, Fla., to play 12 games in nine days.
