Marshall University Athletics
League-Leading Central Michigan Up Next for Softball
4/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
League-Leading Central Michigan Up Next for Softball
4/19/2004
Marshall (27-20, 8-5) has dropped all five league losses by one run this season. |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va ? Current Mid-American Conference-leading Central Michigan will be the next hurdle for the Marshall University softball team as it heads to Mount Pleasant, Mich., on Wednesday for a mid-week doubleheader with the Chippewas beginning at 2 p.m.
Marshall (27-20, 8-5) dropped two one-run games to East-leading Miami (Ohio) this weekend while picking up game two, 6-3, against the RedHawks. The Herd has now dropped ten games by one run this season, including all five league losses.
Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.), who is riding a 19-game hitting streak, continues to pace the Herd and the MAC in hitting with a .414 batting average. The senior?s .77 stolen bases per game are also good enough for the number eight tally in the country. Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) follows closely behind with a .338 batting average and is currently ninth in the country with .70 swiped bases per contest.
Despite pitching two solid games this weekend, Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) registered both losses against Miami (Ohio). Nielson, who boasts a 1.51 ERA, is 12-11 this season on the mound.
After facing this week?s MAC-East Pitcher of the Week in Miami?s Jackie Poggendorf, MU will likely step to the plate against another one of the conference?s finest hurlers in Chippewa pitcher Amber Puchalski. Puchalski went 4-0 last week with two shutouts and a .36 ERA to garner a MAC-West Pitcher of the Week recognition. The senior is first in the league in shutouts (7) and has the most strikeouts per game (9.23 p/g).
CMU (21-11, 10-1) is led at the plate by Christan Dhondt and Christin Sobeck. Dhondt is hitting .309 with four home runs while Sobeck has hit five balls out this season to go along with a .308 batting average.
The Chippewas and the Herd did not meet in 2003, but CMU managed to take a doubleheader from Marshall, 2-1 and 6-0, back on April 20, 2002. Central leads the all-time series, 5-1.