Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Sweeps Oakland
3/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 28, 2001
MOUNT PLEASANT--Freshman Amber Puchalski fired her third no-hitter of the season to help the Chippewas to a doubleheader sweep over Oakland on Wednesday afternoon.
Puchalski led the Chippewas to a 2-0 win in the opening game while a Michelle Brander three-run homer was the key blow in a 5-2 victory in the nightcap.
Puchalski struck out 13 in the opening game. She is just the second CMU pitcher to throw three no-hitters in a season. Linda Pagett accomplished the feat in 1981. With the win, Puchalski improves her record to 7-6 on the year.
Her 13 strikeouts marks the sixth time this season that Puchalski has had 10 or more strikeouts in a game.
The Chippewas took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Hope Robertshaw smashed a double to score Amy Morrison.
The score remained 1-0 until the sixth inning when Karly McCormack blasted a home run to right center to make it 2-0. McCormack's homer was her third of the season.
In the second game, the game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when the Golden Grizzlies scored a run to take a 1-0 lead.
The Chippewas responded in a big way with four runs in their half of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead.
Hope Robertshaw tied the score at 1-1 with an RBI single and Brander put the Chippewas ahead with a three-run homer.
The squads traded runs in the sixth inning to make the final score 5-2. Jen Skuta doubled to left to round out the scoring.
Jenni Rasmussen picked up her first win of the year. She gave up seven hits and two runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings of work.
Wendy Stephens was credited with the save. She allowed just one hit in the final 1 1/3 innings to secure the win.
The Chippewas host Kent State in a doubleheader on Friday.
