CMU softball wins two more at home, sweeps Miami
CMU softball is only a half a game out of first in the Mid-American Conference West after sweeping Miami Friday at Margo Jonker Stadium.
“Key wins for us against Miami,” said CMU head coach Margo Jonker. “Miami was picked to win the (MAC) East Division. They struggled a little bit early but they’re still a very good team.”
Senior Brittini Merchant and freshman Brittney Horan propelled the Chippewas with eight hits, three runs batted in and a run scored.
“Both of them have done a really nice job and they’re playing the game,” Jonker said. “No matter who we’re playing against they can get it done.”
Chippewas win Game 1
CMU’s leadoff system paid off to give the Chippewas the late lead in the first game against Miami.
Leadoff hitter Macy Merchant, a sophomore, walked to start the bottom of the fifth, then fellow sophomore Summer Knoop bunted her over. Brittini Merchant’s check-swing base hit to right field scored Macy and completed the top-of-the-lineup roles to push a run across.
Miami jumped out to an early lead after two singles, an error and a bases-loaded walk gave the RedHawks a 1-0 lead.
Two walks and two errors set the table for three CMU runs in the second inning. The RedHawk miscues were taken advantage by Horan’s two-run single.
Walks came back to bite sophomore right-hander Kara Dornbos again in the third as she walked three batters, setting up a two-run single by freshman Kristy Arbour.
The RedHawks threatened to tie and take the lead in sixth inning with runners on second and third after two singles, but a sharp groundout to senior Amanda Patrick ended the Miami scoring opportunity.
A Danielle Cabrera pinch hit single and a sacrifice bunt and groundout put her at third base in the sixth. Cabrera, a freshman, scored on a passed ball giving the Chippewas another insurance run at 5-3.
Dornbos slammed the door on the RedHawks last at-bats by striking the first two batters out. She allowed five hits and one earned run while walking five and striking out six.
“Kara Dornbos started a little slow and finished really strong,” Jonker said. “She did a nice job toward the end – her pitches were moving much better.”
CMU holds on in Game 2
RedHawk left fielder Kirstie Fehrenbach changed the game in the bottom of the third. With junior Molly Coldren rounding third, Fehrenbach was ready to throw home when the ball went under her glove and rolled all the way to the wall.
Coldren, freshman Raechel Zahrn and senior Amanda Klosterman, who got the hit, all came around to score. The CMU bench cleared for the single and three errors resulted in a inside the park home run.
That three-run error gave the Chippewas a 5-1 lead they didn’t look back.
“They made some mistakes so we were able to capitalize on that,” Jonker said. “We talk about taking advantage of mistakes and today we were able to do that.”
For the second consecutive game Horan delivered a key hit to give CMU the lead. She stepped up and drove the ball to the left-center wall for a double, scoring freshman Lauren Bowman who pinch ran for Coldren.
Miami scored first again with a double and single in the second inning.
Knoop gave pitcher Kari Seddon some breathing room with a three-run triple in the bottom of the sixth, pushing the Chippewa lead to 8-3.
Horan’s hot freshman bat continues as she went 4-for-6 today. She also made two diving catches, one of which saved a run in Game 2.
“Brittany Horan had a career day both defensively and offensively,” Jonker said. “Diving catch in both games, a ball heading toward the fence she had to go back to the right to make a nice catch. A banner day for Brittany.”
CMU (22-13, 7-3 in MAC) is now tied for second with Northern Illinois (17-18) and Eastern Michigan (21-9) in the MAC West standings, and only a game behind Ball State (26-15, 6-2 MAC).
“We did what we needed to do to win the games today,” Jonker said.
If the expected rain holds off, the Chippewas will play host to first-place Ball State at 2 p.m. Saturday at Margo Jonker Stadium.
