Marshall University Athletics
Central Michigan Offense Too Much for Herd
4/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Central Michigan Offense Too Much for Herd
4/21/2004
- Game One Box Score
- Game Two Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. ? The Central Michigan University softball team totaled 18 hits against a strong Marshall pitching staff on Wednesday afternoon to pick up two wins, 5-3 and 6-3, at the CMU Softball Complex.
Game One: Central Michigan 5, Marshall 3
Marshall (27-22, 8-7) would slip early, going down five runs to Mid-American Conference-leading Central Michigan (23-13, 13-1) and take the loss in game one, 5-3, on Wednesday afternoon.
After tallying a pair of hits in the first inning off Herd starting pitcher Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.), Central Michigan rifled back again in the second, this time making it hurt as a two-run double by Brittany Decker gave the Chippewas the 2-0 early lead and leaving the bases loaded with no outs for CMU. Nielson proceeded to force three ground-outs to get the Herd out of the frame.
Nielson walked the first two batters in the fourth inning, prompting a pitching change as Amanda Luers (Dover, Ohio) would enter the game with runners on first and second, no outs and the top of the order on tap. Karen Hohs would single to load the bases later on a 3-2 pitch before Jennifer Benedict would record the second two-run double of the contest to move the score to 4-0. Before another pitch would be thrown, Hohs would steal home and although the run would score, Herd catcher Gina Guzzo (Virginia Beach, Va.) threw down to Leigh Wintter (Acworth, Ga.) for the first out of the inning. The MU defense would then get itself out of another CMU offensively plentiful inning but not without a 5-0 deficit.
Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) tallied league-leading double number 12 in the sixth inning and Sarah Wilson (Washington, W.Va.) would put the Herd on the board with a two-run slam over the left field fence, pushing the score to 5-2.
The Herd would have one more chance in the seventh when Sara Spenia (Las Vegas, Nev.) walked and pinch-runner Noelle Adams (Wheeling, W.Va.) advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) ground-out. Allison Webb (Wayne, W.Va.) sacrificed her home a batter later for a 5-3 score, but the Herd would get no closer.
Nielson evened her record at 12-12 with the loss, after giving up seven hits and four runs. Amber Puchalski struck out nine while giving up three runs on three hits for her fifteenth win of 2004.
MU was out-hit in the contest 11-3, with J. Williams, A. Williams and Wilson all notching hits.
Game Two: Central Michigan 6, Marshall 3
CMU utilized a hefty three-run third inning to edge Marshall, 6-3, in game two of the doubleheader.
Christen Sobeck picked up her ninth double of the year and another extra-base hit would give the Herd fits when two runs scored off MU hurler Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.) in the bottom of the first for a 2-0 score.
Marshall would notch their first run of the game in the third frame after Ashley Mitchell (Kennesaw, Ga.) reached on an error, Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) singled and A. Williams recorded a RBI single. Davenport and A. Williams managed a double steal to put two in scoring position with two outs but a strikeout allowed CMU out of the inning.
The Chippewas would strike again in the third when, following a Decker walk, Lindsey Calme would slap bunt her way to a double down the left field line, placing runners on second and third with no outs for Chamberlain and the Herd defense. Abigail Harter (Monouth, Ore.) would enter the game at the pitching slot for the meat of the Chippewa offense. After forcing a ground-out, Harter intentionally walked Sobeck to load the bases for a potential force out at home. Two pitches later, a wild pitch would score another Chippewa and enhance the CMU lead to two.
Still working the bat in the third, a fly ball to left field would end up costing the Herd another run after in trying to catch a Chippewa runner on the basepath, Calme scurried home. Jacquie Benedict then tripled to score the third run of the inning and giving the Chippewas a four-run cushion.
In similar fashion to the third, Harter singled and Adams entered the game as her pinch-runner in the fifth. Davenport, after seeing her 19-game hitting streak snapped in game one of the doubleheader, notched her second hit of the game and A. Williams came up big with her team-leading 40th RBI of 2004 for a 5-2 score. CMU?s second error of the game allotted Davenport home as MU bridged the gap to two.
Harter retired five straight batters before giving up a double to Aimee Smith in the bottom of the fifth. An error by Spenia would result in CMU?s sixth and final run of the game.
Chamberlain picked up her second loss of the season after giving up four runs on three hits. Harter gave up only two hits in four innings of relief-work. Jessica Garvin was the pitcher of record for Central and moves to 6-5 in 2004. Jill DeRoche registered the save.
Marshall, after winning its first six league affairs, has dropped seven of nine and would look to get back on track at Akron this weekend with a three-game stint. The Herd will battle the Zips in a doubleheader on Saturday and a one-game venture on Sunday.