Comeback comes short for Softball against Ball State
It all came down to the last pitch.
The Central Michigan softball team trailed 9-6, and freshman CarolAnn Sexauer was up to bat in the top of the seventh inning with two outs, the bases loaded and a full-count.
But Ball State pitcher Audrey Workman was able to get Sexauer to pop up, completing a two-game sweep of the Chippewas.
“I thought we were in the perfect situation for the comeback, but it didn’t happen,” said head coach Margo Jonker.
CMU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run home run by senior Molly Coldren, but BSU countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
The Chippewas (21-22, 6-9 Mid-American Conference) added four more runs in the second, but once again, the Cardinals responded with two more, cutting the lead to one.
“The first couple innings, we took advantage of the missed pitches and really drove the ball,” Jonker said. “But the pitcher adjusted to the umpire’s strike zone after that, and we struggled a bit on offense.”
BSU (32-12, 10-2 MAC) took the lead in the fifth when sophomore Chelsea Sundberg threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded, allowing a run to score.
Saturday, a first inning grand slam by BSU sophomore Audrey Bickel proved to be the game-winner in the 4-0 win. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for BSU before Bickel delivered the key hit.
The Chippewas had seven hits but could not push any runs across. They left nine runners on base.
Friday, CMU and Miami each earned a shutout win in a double header.
The Redhawks took game one 4-0 before the Chippewas responded with a 2-0 victory.
Sundberg went the distance for CMU in game two, allowing two hits and walking none.
“Sundberg was amazing,” Jonker said. “She had good movement on her pitches and good location. Her and (catcher) Rachael Hensel worked together extremely well and did a good job setting up Miami’s hitters.”
Coldren put CMU on the board in the top of the second inning by hitting a solo home run to centerfield.
The Chippewas added another run in the third on an RBI single by senior Ashley Gilson.
In game one, Miami senior Jessica Simpson showed why she is one of the best pitchers in the Mid-American Conference this season.
“She was on today,” Jonker said. “She basically shut us down. We didn’t make the adjustment quick enough. It was one of the better games I’ve seen her pitch in her four-year career.”
Simpson entered the game with a 1.39 earned run average and lowered that number by pitching a complete game, allowing three hits and striking out 12 Chippewas.
CMU returns home Wednesday for a double-header against IPFW with the first game starting at 2 p.m.
“We need to fight strong the rest the year,” Jonker said. “We need to get ourselves in the best position possible for the (MAC) tournament and get stronger pitch-by-pitch, game-by-game.”
