Rentschler’s walk-off home run powers CMU to 5-2 win
Central Michigan softball defeated Eastern Michigan 5-2 on a walk-off home run Saturday. The Chippewas wore pink jerseys for breast cancer awareness.
Junior first baseman Katelyn Rentschler’s three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Central Michigan University’s softball team a come-from-behind 5-2 victory over Eastern Michigan University Saturday.
Rentchler’s blast was her seventh of the season. The Etiwanda, Calif. native leads the team in home runs and is batting .325.
“She (Rentschler) looked really calm,” said Head Coach Margo Jonker. “She was in the right frame of mind and seemed confident and kept fouling some pitches off and got a pitch that she could handle.”
The Chippewas are 14-16 and 4-3 in the Mid-American Conference.
CMU trailed the Eagles 1-0 for the majority of the game, in what was primarily a pitcher’s duel, after EMU plated a run on a single to center field in the first inning.
Jonker’s team was able to score its first runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning on junior second baseman Chelsea DeLamielleure’s two-run home run to right field, tying the game 2-2.
This came after senior shortstop Trista Cox reached base on an error by EMU’s center fielder.
“It was a great game for us in a lot of ways,” Jonker said. “We had a great crowd, great weather and then we had a victory. Put in all together and it was a great day for Chippewa softball.”
Sophomore Rachael Knapp threw her 12th complete-game of the season, earning the victory in the circle and improving to 10-6.
Knapp struck out eight batters on six hits while surrendering one earned run and walking two in the win. Her 10 wins leads CMU this season.
“I thought that Knapp had good poise,” Jonker said. “(Eastern) didn’t really have that many hard hits off of her. Overall I thought she pitched a good game.”
CMU will be back in action against EMU at 1 p.m. Sunday at Margo Jonker Stadium.
