Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Sweeps Pair From Northern Illinois
4/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 15, 2000
DEKALB, IL--The Central Michigan University softball team (14-7 overall, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) bounced back from Friday's loss to Northern Illinois University (19-17 overall, 7-2 Mid-American Conference) to post a doubleheader sweep over the Huskies on Saturday afternoon at Mary M. Bell Field.
Central shutout Northern Illinois, 1-0, in the opening game and took the nightcap, 4-2.
The Chippewas got the only run of game one in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Becky Manson (Rockford/So.) got things started with a double and scored on a single by Kim Burke (Mount Pleasant/Jr.).
One run was all pitcher Tina Kinney (Glendale, CA/Sr.) needed. She held the Huskies to just five hits while striking out eight in posting her seventh shutout on the year.
NIU threatened in the fourth inning when it loaded the bases with no one out but Kinney and Chippewa defense got out of the jam.
Burke led CMU with a pair of hits and an RBI while Nicole Weston (Grand Ledge/Sr.) also posted two hits.
NIU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the nightcap on a Kinsey Olson RBI single while the Chippewas responded in the fourth inning with a run to tie the score at 1-1. Wendy Stephens (Mira Loma, CA/So.) had an RBI single that scored pinch runner Sarah Hamilton (Brighton/Fr.).
Gretchen Szymski gave NIU a 2-1 lead in the fifth with an RBI single that scored Tara Davidson. NIU didn't hold the lead for long as the Chippewas broke through with three runs in the fifth to jump to a 4-2 advantage. Jen Skuta (Pinconning/So.) had an RBI double while pinch hitter Michelle Brander (Jenison/Fr.) also had an RBI double.
Kinney entered the game in relief in the fifth inning with two on and one run in to shutdown the Huskies to pick up her second of the day. She gave up no hits while striking out three in the final 2 1/3 innings to raise her record to 10-3 on the year.
Stephens started the game and pitched 4 2/3 innings before giving way to Kinney. She gave up five hits and two runs and struck out one.
Burke again had the hot bat for the Chippewas, hitting three-for-four with a double while Stephens went two-for-four with an RBI.
The Chippewas are at Eastern Michigan for a doubleheader on April 18 before returning home to host Michigan State in a single game on April 19 beginning at 4 p.m.
