Softball Blanks Toledo In A Pair Of Games

April 14, 2001

TOLEDO, Ohio - It wasn't easy, but Central Michigan completed a sweep at Toledo by taking a doubleheader on Saturday, 3-0 and 1-0.

Central (22-17, 12-3 Mid-American) has now won nine straight Mid-American Conference games after also defeating Toledo by a 2-0 count on Friday.

The Chippewas needed late-game heroics with their scoring coming in the sixth inning of the first game and the seventh of the nightcap.

Strong pitching anchored CMU in both of the wins.

Jenni Rasmussen's arm led Central to the 3-0 win in game one. Rasmussen picked up her first shutout of the season while improving to 4-5 on the year. The right-hander went the distance and struck out four while allowing three hits. She retired the first 11 batters of the game before Kalika Stavroulakis knocked a single to right field.

Toledo put two runners on in the sixth with a pair of hits but the inning ended in a double play.

The Chippewas didn't get on the scoreboard until the sixth inning when two Toledo errors led to three runs.

Sarah Hamilton led off the inning with an infield hit.

Becky Manson moved Hamilton into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Amy Morrison followed with a grounder to third that was mishandled by Toledo's fielder at third. That allowed Hamilton third base and Morrison went all the way to second.

Central scored its first run on a suicide squeeze by Hope Robertshaw Toledo made a play at the plate but Hamilton slid in under the tag.

Jen Skuta then hit a slow bouncer back to the pitcher but her throw to first was wild and it scored Morrison and Robertshaw while letting Skuta run around to third.

All three of CMU's runs were unearned and UT pitcher Colette McMasters allowed only two hits in the game. Toledo struggled in the field committing seven errors.

The Chippewas started strong in the nightcap with the first two batters getting on base. Manson led off with a single past the shortstop and then she stole second. Morrison followed with a bunt single that moved Manson to second. Morrison also stole second putting runners at second and third with no outs.

Central couldn't score the runners as the heart of CMU's lineup went down in order after that.

Toledo then threatened in the bottom of the second by loading the bases with a pair of walks and an error. Pitcher Amber Puchalski closed the inning by striking out Jenny Schaaf. The strikeout marked her 156th K of the season, moving the freshman into second place in the CMU season record books behind Linda Pagett's 236 in 1982.

Skuta provided a little bit of a spark to lead off the fourth when she took an offering to the warning track in left-centerfield before Laurie Linton tracked it down for an out. Skuta hit a homer to the same spot the previous day in CMU's win.

In the fourth, Toledo's Stavroulakis broke up another no-hitter by lining a single just above the outstretched, leaping arms of Manson at short. It would be the only Rocket hit of the game.

The sixth inning was the stage for CMU's scoring in the first two games of the series and it looked like the final game might be more of the same as Morrison led off with a single to left. Robertshaw then sacrificed her to second but the Chippewas were retired with Skuta and Kim Burke both grounding out to the pitcher.

Central finally got on the scoreboard in the seventh after Michelle Brander led the inning off with a single to right-center. Karly McCormack bunted her over to second in the next at-bat. Catcher Lindsay Horvath drove in Brander with a single up the middle for Central's only run of the game. Horvath moved all the way to third on the play.

CMU tried adding more runs but Hamilton's squeeze attempt wasn't successful as Horvath was nailed at the plate and then Hamilton was nailed at second trying to get an extra base.

Puchalski closed out the bottom of the seventh by retiring three Rockets in order.

Puchalski improved to 14-7 on the year by posting her 11th shutout. She fanned 10 marking her 10th game of 10-plus strikeouts. It marked her third one-hitter this season to go along with five no-hitters.

Brander, Horvath and Morrison were all 2-for-3 in the game.

The Chippewas will look to extend their winning streak when they travel to Michigan State on Wednesday, April 18, for a single game at 4 p.m.

CMU returns home next weekend for a key MAC series against West Division- leading Ball State.