Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Opens Home Season Against Marshall and Ohio
4/3/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2000
MOUNT PLEASANT--After a successful opening weekend in Mid-American Conference (MAC) action, the Central Michigan University softball team (11-5, 3-0 Mid-American) is set to open the home schedule this weekend at the CMU Softball Complex.
First up, though, is a non-conference road doubleheader at Detroit (8-5, 0-0 Midwestern Collegiate) on Tuesday, April 4, at 3 p.m.
CMU then returns home to host Marshall (12-19, 2-1 Mid-American) in a doubleheader on Friday, April 7 at 2 p.m. MAC play continues with a doubleheader against Ohio (6-16, 1-2 Mid-American) on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"We need to continue to play the way we are now and the wins will take care of themselves," coach Margo Jonker said. "We'd like to extend our winning streak this week and take care of business. All of the MAC games are important."
The Chippewas went 5-0 last week, picking up four shutouts and allowing only one run in the 38 innings played. It wasn't an easy stretch, though. After defeating Oakland, 10-0, in the opening game of a doubleheader last Tuesday, CMU needed 10 innings to defeat the Golden Grizzlies in the nightcap by a score of 2-0.
The Maroon and Gold then needed a come-from-behind win to defeat Ball State, 2-1, in the MAC opener on Friday. Central's defense was solid Saturday and the Chippewas completed the week with a pair of 5-0 shutouts over the Cardinals.
Jonker was happy with the way CMU came out of the gates in conference play.
"We felt it was important that we came out strong," she said. "Since we were picked to win the conference, the other teams were probably looking to see how we did. People were probably expecting us to win and we like to have them think that. It was good that we didn't allow any runs. It sets a tone for our play and sends a message to others that we are going to be a team to contend with this year."
The key for the Chippewas all week was consistent defense and the ability to make big plays at key times.
"Our defense was outstanding last week," Jonker said. "We showed a great deal of maturity on the defensive end. We played solid defense, especially when we needed it most. Several players made nice catches last week, including Amy Morrison (Fenton/Jr.) and Becky Manson (Rockford/So.). The pitchers also got the job done by shutting down the opponents. In the close games the defense held until the offense came through. In the game of softball, defense holds you together because the hitting isn't always on. We just didn't make adjustments quick enough in a couple of the games last week."
Senior Tina Kinney (Glendale, CA) had quite a week. She was 3-0 in the circle with a 0.33 ERA and a pair of shutouts. She pitched 21 innings and allowed only 12 hits while striking out 17 and walking a mere one batter. Her win over Ball State on Saturday gave her 60 for her career which moves her into a tie for the CMU record for career wins. Karen Wongstrom picked up 60 between 1984 and '87. That mark also ties for eighth best in the MAC record books.
THE 700 CLUB: Veteran coach Margo Jonker is in her 21st season at CMU and just recently joined the 700 club for career victories. She sports a career record of 708-383-5. Jonker entered this season ranked ninth among active coaches on the NCAA's Division I career victories list. Jonker has led CMU to eight MAC titles, nine NCAA regional appearances and a spot in the 1987 College World Series. She is an assistant coach for the USA Softball team in this summer's Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
SCOUTING THE TITANS: Detroit is 8-5 this season. The Titans had won five straight before getting swept by Michigan State in a doubleheader last week. UDM does sport a 3-2 win over MAC foe Toledo. Krista Peters is hitting .408 this season with 11 runs scored. Bridget Teisl is 4-2 with a 3.71 ERA.
SCOUTING THE HERD: Marshall is 12-19 this season and the Thundering Herd opened MAC play by taking two-of-three at Kent last week. MU split with Virginia Tech before that for a 3-2 record over the last five outings. Natasha Johnson picked up one of the wins against Kent to improve to 4-6 this season.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS: Ohio is 6-16 overall and 1-2 in MAC play. The Bobcats went 1-2 last weekend against Akron to open conference action. Freshman Kelli Bankert leads the squad with a .319 batting average and 11 RBI. Heather Hagen is 3-6 with a 2.77 ERA.
LAST WEEK RECAPS:
CMU 10, Oakland 0: Tina Kinney picked up her fifth straight win and her fourth shutout of the season, allowing just four hits while fanning six. Amy Morrison was 2-for-3 with three RBI. The Chippewas poured it on with five runs in the sixth inning.
CMU 2, Oakland 0: Central scored twice in the top of the 10th when the international tie-breaker rule was used. The first run scored on a wild pitch and then Sarah Hamilton (Brighton/Fr.) plated Jen Skuta (Pinconning/So.) on a double. Wendy Stephens (Mira Loma, CA/So.) threw the shutout, tossing six full innings of no hit ball before allowing a single in the seventh. She went all 10 innings and allowed just four hits.
CMU 2, Ball State 1: The Chippewas needed a come-from-behind win to capture the MAC opener over Ball State. BSU scored one run in the fourth and CMU posted two in the sixth before holding on for the win. Amy Morrison drove in Hope Robertshaw (LaCrescenta, CA/Jr.) for the tying run and the winning run scored on a wild pitch. Robertshaw was 2-for-3.
CMU 5, Ball State 0: Tina Kinney picked up career win No. 60 to tie the CMU record. She tossed a three-hitter for her fifth shutout on the year. CMU jumped out by scoring twice in the first and once in the second. Central added another two in the fifth. Kinney was 2-for-3 with two RBI and Becky Manson was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
CMU 5, Ball State 0: CMU completed the sweep with its fourth shutout of the week. Central scored once in the first, three times in the fourth and once in the sixth while pounding out eight hits. Michelle Brander (Jenison/Fr.) hit a two-run double off the centerfield wall in the fourth and Jen Skuta belted a solo HR in the sixth. Wendy Stephens picked up the shutout, her second of the year.
MORE ON KINNEY: After starting the season 0-2, CMU's No. 1 pitcher Tina Kinney has won seven straight decisions. She has a 1.96 ERA on the season and has struck out 48 batters. Her strikeout/walk ratio is 2.8. The senior is also hitting .286 (14-for-49) with three doubles and five RBI.
"Central Michigan has had the luxury of outstanding players and Tina Kinney is one of the best both offensively and defensively," Jonker said. "To tie the career wins mark is a major accomplishment and to succeed in the field and at the plate says a lot about a player.
"Her strikeout/walk ratio has been outstanding this season. She is not putting anybody on base and is allowing the defense to make plays. She matured a lot in regards to use of different pitches and she has worked well along with catcher Lindsay Horvath (Kentwood/So.)."
Tracking Kinney in Chippewa annals, she now ranks tops in complete games (69) and is tied for career wins (60). She ranks second in strikeouts (421) and innings pitched (610.1) and will set the innings pitched mark in her next appearance. She ranks third in CMU history in appearances (103) and shutouts (27).
AVERAGE INCREASES: Central's batting average is slowing climbing after the Chippewas started the season slow at the plate. CMU is now hitting .237, well above its opponents average of .213. Central hit .293 as a team last week, pounding out at least eight hits per game in all five contests.
TOP FIELDING UNIT: The Chippewas are the top fielding team in the MAC with a .970 percentage. Central made only three errors in the 38 innings last week. Several players made outstanding defensive grabs, including diving catches in both the infield and the outfield.
MOWING'EM DOWN: The Chippewa pitching staff, along with the defense, has shutout the opponent in seven of the 11 wins this season. Tina Kinney is 7-2 with a 1.96 ERA and Wendy Stephens is 4-2 with a 0.68 ERA. Freshman Jenni Rasmussen (Saginaw) is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in limited action.
STREAKING: The Chippewas are currently on a five-game winning streak ... Tina Kinney has won seven straight decisions on the mound, picking up shutouts in four of them ... Becky Manson, Kim Burke (Mount Pleasant/Jr.) and Tina Kinney are all on five-game hitting streaks ... CMU won six straight earlier this season before getting beat by then No. 4-ranked Arizona State.
BURKE'S BIG WEEK: Junior Kim Burke had a big week offensively for CMU last week. She hit a team best .412 (7-for-17) with a double and three RBI. She picked up a hit in all five games and also had two sacrifice bunts. Burke fielded a perfect 1.000 in 24 chances at second base. Her season batting average of .302 ties Becky Manson for top team honors.
$$ PLAYER: Amy Morrison continues to come through when the team needs her most. The junior centerfielder leads the team with nine RBI this season and has three multiple-RBI games to her credit. She picked up four more RBI last week. Morrison is hitting .250 on the year but she improves to .263 with runners on base, .364 with runners in scoring position and 1.000 with a runner on third and less than two outs.
TAKING THE LEAD: Sophomore Becky Manson is back in a familiar role as the leadoff hitter. Manson started all 59 games last season in the leadoff role but the Chippewas tinkered with Manson in different spots of the lineup earlier this season. She was back as leadoff batter last week and responded by leading the game off with a hit to centerfield in all three games at Ball State. Manson is hitting .302 (16-for-53) with four doubles, a triple and two RBI this season. She is 8-for-11 in stolen base attempts.
SKUTIN' AROUND THE BASES: Sophomore Jen Skuta had an easy trip around the bases after slugging a solo home run in the nightcap at Ball State last Saturday. It was her second career home run after hitting an inside-the-parker last season versus Penn State. Skuta has started all 16 games in left this season and has made a smooth transition to the outfield after playing mostly the infield last season. She is hitting .191 (9-for-47) with two doubles, one triple, one home run and five RBI.
BRAND LOYALTY: Freshman Michelle Brander made the most out of her opportunities last week. She started four of the five games and was 3-for-17 at the plate. Two of her hits were two-run doubles, including one that was off the centerfield fence at Ball State. They were the first RBI of her career. Brander is playing both behind the plate and in right field.
WENDY NETS "W'S": Wendy Stephens was 2-0 last week to improve to 4-2 on the season. She didn't allow a run in either game and went the distance in both, including all 10 innings against Oakland. Stephens' ERA of 0.68 ranks among the MAC leaders and opponents are hitting only .192 against her. Stephens is hitting .259 (7-for-27) this season.
TOUGH COMPETITION: Three of CMU's five losses this season have come against teams currently ranked in the top 15 nationally. CMU has dropped games to No. 4 California (9-1), No. 5 Arizona State (8-0) and No. 11 Oregon State (6-1). Central hosts No. 13 Michigan next Tuesday, April 11. * Rankings reflect 3/29/00 NFCA Poll.
UP NEXT: The Chippewas face a big week next week. CMU hosts No. 13 ranked Michigan in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 11 at 2 p.m. Central then hits the road for a three-game weekend series at MAC rival Northern Illinois. NIU captured the MAC regular season title last season and NIU and CMU were picked as the top teams to contend with this season. Central and Northern were the only two teams to make it through the opening weekend of MAC play with undefeated slates.
