Softball goes 2-2 during Easter weekend against Northern Illinois, Western Michigan
The Central Michigan softball team concluded a 2-2 weekend Sunday after falling to Northern Illinois 4-2 at Margo Jonker Stadium.
CMU took a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning, but a three-run frame by NIU took away any hopes of a winning weekend for the Chippewas.
After a hit-by-pitch, sophomore Morgan Yuncker surrendered a two-run home run to Dani Parrish, which proved to be the game-winner.
Freshman Chelsea DeLamielleure went 2-2 and drove in both runs for the Chippewas.
“We played very well defensively,” DeLamielleure said. “We just have to string our hits together and slam the door at the end of the game.”
Yuncker earned the loss and both her and junior Kara Dornbos were 1-1 on the weekend.
“I think Morgan does a great job,” said Assistant Coach Joanna Lane. “She was able to keep them off balance with really two or three pitches and that was good. That last inning she let one pitch get away from her and unfortunately that bit us. Bottom line, she pitched well enough to win and we have a responsibility to our pitchers to give them some run support.”
Junior Macy Merchant led the offense with six hits in the four games.
The Chippewas (16-16, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) also lost to NIU Saturday, 5-1.
The Huskies scored three runs in the third, one in the fourth and one in the seventh inning en route to the win. Senior Molly Coldren drove in the Chippewas' lone run with an RBI single in the sixth.
On Friday, CMU earned a pair of one-run victories over Western Michigan.
In game one, the Broncos broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth with an RBI single by Courtney Rousseau, but the Chippewas responded with a run in the bottom of the frame.
Tied in the bottom of the seventh, junior Summer Knoop hit a walk-off single, sending the Chippewas home victorious.
On the second half of the doubleheader, WMU jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings. CMU bounced back and scored three in the fourth, one in the fifth and three in the sixth to complete a 7-6 comeback win.
“I think that’s huge and we preach that you can’t hit a 5-run homerun, so we don’t have to try,” Lane said. “Our team bought into that and we were able to do that. And the next game we’re behind, we can have the experience to draw from.”
Merchant, Coldren and senior Rachael Hensel each had two hits in the win.
CMU will play a double-header against Oakland Tuesday with game one starting at 2 p.m. at Margo Jonker Stadium.
“I think coming off the Friday games, you’re in such an elated level and really ready to make a statement to get ahead in the standings,” Lane said. “And then you have a let down on Saturday and Sunday. We’re disappointed but we still don’t want to take away from those Friday games. We need to use Tuesday as a tune up against Oakland and going into the Toledo and BG series strong trying to regain position a little closer to the top of the standings.”
