Softball splits weekend series with Buffalo
A weekend of subpar hitting made the Central Michigan University softball team give the University at Buffalo the school’s first Mid-American Conference win of the 2015 season.
CMU got out to a strong start in game one on Saturday, winning 5-3 behind Rachael Knapp’s complete game performance, but fell 4-2 in the second matchup.
“We didn’t play as well as I wanted us to,” said Head Coach Margo Jonker. “I’m disappointed we didn’t perform as well as we could have for all the people who came to watch the game today who haven’t seen us in a long time.“
The Chippewas recorded 15 hits during the two games and stranded six base runners. UB was able to match the Chippewas with 15 hits and left 10 base runners on.
Since March 28, the Chippewas have outhit opponents in nine out of 16 games. The two games against UB mark the sixth and seventh times CMU has been outhit or matched by their opponents since the team started its conference season.
Senior shortstop Trista Cox was 4-for-6 on Saturday with one run scored and one run batted in. Senior Katelyn Rentschler tacked on two runs batted in off of two hits.
“Trista is one of our top hitters,” Jonker said. “I’m happy to see her coming through for us offensively.”
GAME ONE
CMU got off to a fast start by taking the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Katelyn Rentschler flashed a single into left field to score Kristen Kuhlman from third.
The Chippwas added another run in the bottom of the second through the skill of freshman Sara Hansen. Hansen stole third base and scored following a throwing error from the Bulls.
CMU’s 2-0 lead was not safe for long as UB scored two runs off of three hits in the top of the third inning.
A high scoring fifth inning put the Chippewas ahead for good. Cox hit an RBI double to bring home freshman Lacy Tolfree to open the scoring. Rentschler and freshman catcher Maison Kalina would add a pair of one-out RBI doubles to extend the lead to 5-2 for CMU.
Knapp ran into a little trouble in the top of the seventh inning when Savanna Norcio doubled to left field scoring Alexis Curtiss, but she pitched a complete game, giving up eight hits on the afternoon.
“Rachael was sick today,” Jonker said. “She had a few issues out there today, but I wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to pitch at all today. She sucked it up and did a good job.”
GAME TWO
The Chippewa bats were quick to take the lead once again in game two, scoring two runs off of three hits in the first inning.
Both team’s bats would go quiet for the next four innings with both teams combining for two hits between the second and fifth innings.
“We got ahead, but we just didn’t keep hitting,” Jonker said.” We’ve had that issue before this year. We need to not have it happen again.”
Freshman pitcher Hanna Warren struck out five batters in the opening five innings but got into some trouble in the sixth.
The Bulls brought home four runs off of five hits during the top of the sixth inning. Stephanie Beuther capped off the Bulls big inning with a two-run double to the gap in left center field.
Freshman pitcher Taylor Weaver replaced Warren in relief pitching one and a third scoreless innings.
“The bottom line is we didn’t score enough runs,” Jonker said. “(Today) is not about the pitching, we just didn’t score enough runs.”
UP NEXT
The Chippewas will head on the road Wednesday to Ann Arbor to face the University of Michigan. The Wolverines are 41-6 this season and are the number four-ranked team in the nation.
U of M is undefeated in the team’s last seven meetings with CMU, winning by an average of 6.7 runs per game.
