CMU softball splits doubleheader against Western Michigan
The Central Michigan softball team kicked off the Mid-American Conference schedule Friday splitting a doubleheader against Western Michigan at Fran Ebert Field in Kalamazoo.
“Western is a really good team,” said CMU coach Margo Jonker. “Their record doesn’t show how good they are because of their strength of schedule so far. They’ve played some very good teams.”
Game 1
Western Michigan won the first game 8-7 thanks to a grand slam by Bronco senior Laxi Jager in the sixth inning. Junior shortstop Tara Buchanan had a two-run homer, as Bronco runs came off two swings.
“There was a lot of hitting on both sides,” Jonker said. “We made some great defensive plays. A relay made an out at home and a throw from right field to prevent a single.”
The Chippewas started off strong after sophomores Macy Merchant and Summer Knoop both singled and stole second. They were driven in by a senior Brittany Merchant groundout and junior Molly Coldren single.
Buchanan’s homer tied the game at two in the first. Senior right-hander Kari Seddon (4-4) started for CMU, giving up four runs on six hits in four innings.
Jonker said that it was difficult for pitchers because they were forced to throw the ball down the middle due to some “interesting calls” from the umpire.
Seddon was still in line for the win when she left the game after the Chippewas scored three runs in the third. Senior Amanda Patrick hit a two-run double and Coldren picked up her second run, batted in on a sacrifice fly to score Patrick.
Jager’s grand slam to put WMU up 8-6 was the 20th home run of her career, coming off freshman Chelsea Sundberg (4-2), who lost the second game of her career.
CMU didn’t give up, scoring another run in its last at bat and loading the bases before stranding the tying and winning runs in scoring position.
Knoop finished with two hits, two runs and a stolen base. Patrick and Coldren both added two RBI’s to their team-leading totals.
“Summer had two hits, Brittini (Merchant) had two hits and Coldren had a line shot that was an out,” Jonker said. “We hit good and played great defense just didn’t have the pitching in the first game.”
Bronco junior pitcher Kayla Houston (3-8) pitched a complete game, giving up eight hits and striking out three Chippewas. Game 2
CMU evened the series with a 5-1 win in the second game from a strong pitching performance from sophomore Kara Dornbos.
“Dornbos pitched a really good game and we got some key hits in that second game,” Jonker said. “It was a more traditional type of game.”
For the second consecutive game, Macy Merchant lead off with a single and stole second. She later scored after three consecutive walks forced her home.
“Macy did a really good job of getting on base and getting us started,” Jonker said. “She played some great defense too.”
The Chippewas broke the game open in the fifth when freshman Cory DeLamielleur hit a two-run double and scored on a Macy Merchant single, giving CMU a 4-0 advantage.
DeLamielleur singled in another run in the sixth, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Macy Merchant also had a good day with three hits, two runs scored, two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases.
“We like to run,” Jonker said of her teams’ three stolen bases Friday. “We have good speed and we like to take advantage of weaknesses. Western’s catcher had an OK arm, but we thought we could run on them.”
Dornbos pitched a complete game, allowing one run on five hits to earn her team-high fifth win of the season.
“In the second game we put all the cards together,” Jonker said, “pitching defense and hitting. In the first we missed pitching.”
The Chippewas (14-10) head south to face Northern Illinois (10-14) in DeKalb, Ill., at 2 p.m. Saturday. Coldren is sitting on 19 career home runs, one shy of breaking the program record.
“Against Northern we have to keep the hits going, the sticks have been really good. We have to play aggressive,” Jonker said.
