Softball earns doubleheader split over Ball State, sets up pivotal series finale
Head Coach of the Central Michigan Women's Softball Team Margo Jonker speaks with senior catcher Kayla Noch during a Western Michigan mound visit April 2 at Margo Jonker Stadium.
As it hits the home stretch, it needed at least a split of a Mid-American Conference doubleheader against Ball State. The Central Michigan softball team did just that.
CMU (19-24-1, 9-7-1) was able to recover from a tough first game against the Cardinals (32-17, 9-7) in the second to snap its three-game losing streak April 26 in Margo Jonker Stadium.
The win in the latter half of the twinbill puts the Chippewas just two games behind the Cardinals, who reside in fourth place, in the MAC standings.
Head coach Margo Jonker said she was proud of the way her team bounced back in the nightcap, and was grateful for a little help from the opposition.
"It was very helpful for them to help us out," Jonker said. "You've got to capitalize on those mistakes. They made mistakes and we capitalized on them so that's the key."
Game One: BSU - 7, CMU - 4
Ball State opened the game with a run in the top half of the first as they pushed across a runner with bases loaded and one out. Sophomore right-hander Samantha Howell would limit the damage to that one run.
The Chippewas were able to push across three runs in their opening inning using a "small ball" strategy. Freshman designated player Shannon Stein, senior second baseman Rachel Vieira and junior shortstop Morgan Gardner all plated runners with Stein and Gardner with RBI singles while Vieira earned her RBI with a sacrifice fly.
As the game progressed, CMU was able to cling on to two-run lead before the Cardinals were able to tag Howell (L, 5-8) and sophomore Cloe Mallory for five runs in the sixth inning led by
Howell finished the game allowing five runs (all earned) on six hits, walking three and striking out four in her 5 1/3 innings pitched. Mallory dispatched two runs (both earned) on three hits with one strike out in her 1 2/3 innings of work.
Game Two: CMU - 8, BSU - 3
CMU was able to recover quickly as senior first baseman Erika Underwood put her team ahead quickly with a one-run double in the first inning.
Ball State was able to even the score on a wild pitch from freshman right-hander Kaitlyn Bean (W, CG, 8-6) in the second inning.
Stacy Payton of Ball State then provided its first lead of the game as she rocketed a solo home run to straightaway center in the fourth inning.
In the CMU half of the inning, Stein belted a two-run home run to give her team the lead in the fourth.
Ball State would tie the game in its half of the sixth inning as Bean had two runners in scoring position with one out. Left fielder Kennedy Wynn flied out to left field which scored pinch runner Kim Manuel to tie the game in the sixth.
In the home half, the Chippewas turned on the gas.
A pair of base on balls from starting pitcher Aeisha Mills (L, 6-9) then a third from reliever Alyssa Rothwell had the bases loaded for CMU with just one out.
The first two runs were plated as Gardner reached on a double-error from Cardinal third baseman Stacy Payton as freshman pinch runner Stephanie Anderson and Underwood both scored.
Leadoff hitter Allison Curtis put the game out of reach.
The senior center fielder ripped a Rothwell offering down the left field line and drove in freshman catcher Samantha Mills and senior third baseman Kayla Noch.
Jonker said that utilizing Curtis throughout the lineup has been monumental for her team as they enter the final stretch of the season. She returned for the first time in almost a month due to injury when the team played Northern Illinois last weekend.
"Curtis brings energy to the team," Jonker said. "She's a great defensive player in the outfield so having her back in the lineup was huge."
Bean completed her fifth complete game of the season by yielding just three runs on five hits and setting her season-high of seven strikeouts.
Jonker credited her leading pitcher for not losing focus on a statistically poor hitting Cardinal lineup. Citing that their stats do not represent their talent.
"Last year was the same lineup, almost, and they had great stats," Jonker said. "I thought Bean did a really good job keeping off the bases and not scoring as much. I thought she did a nice job for us."
Up Next
The Chippewas and Cardinals will square off one more time at 1 p.m. on April 27 in Margo Jonker Stadium. The series finale doubles as Senior Day as outfielder Sara Hansen, Noch, Vieira, outfielder Andrea Perlberg, first baseman Kaila Fulker, Curtis and Underwood will play their final home game.
