Softball splits again in day two of New Mexico Lobos Tournament
Softball battled through another split on the second day of the New Mexico Lobos Classic against Hampton and IPFW on Saturday.
CMU started the day off strong with five runs in the first inning against Hampton. Sophomore short stop CarolAnn Sexauer got the rally going with a three-run home run, which was soon followed by a two-run home run to left field by freshman infielder Trista Cox.
Starting pitcher, junior Morgan Yuncker cruised until the fourth inning where the Pirates would collect six runs to make the score 7-6 in favor of the Chippewas. Yuncker would finish the game going 3.2 innings, giving up five runs on five hits until junior Kristen Kuhlman came in relief.
After collecting her fourth RBI in the fourth inning, Sexauer would add her fifth RBI in the sixth inning with an insurance run off a single to left center scoring freshman Evelyn Lorimer making the score 8-6.
Also in the sixth inning, head coach Margo Jonker was tossed from the game after a pop-up hit off the back stop net and was called an out. However, home plate umpire, Tom Topping, rescinded the call, which caused Jonker to protest the switched call that led to her being ejected from the game.
Junior pitcher Chelsea Sundberg would relieve Kuhlman on the mound and finish the job for the Chippewas giving the team the win, 8-6.
The team started off the second game much like the first, by starting the scoring off first, taking advantage of an error by IPFW. Senior Summer Knoop would reach on an error and would later score off of a single up the middle off the bat of freshman Katelyn Rentschler making the score 2-0.
Sundberg would blank IPFW until the third inning when the Mastodons put up three runs off of four hits and a walk. Sundberg would last three innings giving up four runs on seven hits before Kuhlman, once again, came in relief.
IPFW would add another run in the top of the fourth to go up 4-2. However, the Chippewas would answer back with two runs of their own. Knoop doubled down the left field side scoring both Kuhlman and Cox to even the score 4-4.
Both teams would put up zeros for the rest of the game sending it into extra innings. The Mastodons would act quickly in extra innings, putting up six runs off of five hits, a walk, and an errant throw.
The Chippewas tried to fight back with an RBI double to left by senior Macy Merchant, followed by another Sexauer home run. But, that’s where the rally would end making the final score 10-6.
The last day of the tournament continues Sunday at 3:30 p.m. against New Mexico.
