Central Michigan University Athletics
Puchalski Perfect In Leading Softball To Sweep Of BGSU
4/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 7, 2001
MOUNT PLEASANT--A comeback win and a perfect game equaled a Central Michigan sweep of Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon at the CMU Softball Complex.
The Chippewas scored the winning run in the seventh inning to post a 3-2 win in the opening game and Amber Puchalski pitched a perfect game in a 1-0 victory in the nightcap.
The weekend sweep improves the Chippewas' record to 19-15 overall and 9-3 in the Mid-American Conference.
The Chippewas posted a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Bowling Green in the opening game.
With the score tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Sarah Hamilton scored the winning run for CMU on an error.
With two outs, Hamilton hit a bloop single to right field to get on first. Becky Manson then hit a single to right and Hamilton made it to second and scored the decisive run on the error by third base.
The Falcons got on the scoreboard first with a home run by Renee Rosemeier in the fourth inning.
The Chippewas tied it up at 1-1 with an unearned run in their portion of the fourth.
Bowling Green regained the lead with a run in the fifth but the Chippewas came right back to knot the score at 2-2 with a score in the bottom of the fifth.
Amy Morrison had an RBI single to right that scored Manson to again tie the score.
Jenni Rasmussen picked up the win in relief. She gave up two hits and an unearned run in 3 1/3 innings. Rasmussen struck out three in improving her record to 3-4 on the year.
Puchalski pitched a perfect game in hurling her fourth no-hitter of the season in the 1-0 victory in the nightcap. She struck out 13 to raise her record to 12-6.
Puchalski struck out the first nine BGSU batters, setting a new CMU record for consecutive strikeouts. The old record was eight set by Linda Pagett in 1982 against Ohio State.
It was Puchalski's fourth no-hitter this season and her first perfect game. Her four no-no's are a new CMU season record, edging out Pagett's three in 1981. Puchalski is now one away from Pagett's career record of five no-hitters.
Puchalski tied a season-high with 13 strikeouts. She now has 137 on the season, which ties Pagett's 1981 mark for third in the CMU record book. Pagett holds the season record with 236 in 1982. It marked Puchalski eighth game of 10 or more strikeouts.
The Chippewas scored the only run of the game in the fifth inning when Hope Robertshaw had an RBI single that scored Manson.
The no-hitter was preserved by a great defensive play by Robertshaw at third base. Robertshaw made a diving snow cone catch of a line drive by Liz Tuza for the second out in the sixth inning.
Puchalski has now thrown 34 consecutive scoreless innings and has allowed only seven hits during the stretch while fanning 37. Since suffering a relief loss at Ohio, Puchalski has allowed only one run in her last 42 innings while giving up only eight hits.
Kim Burke went 3-for-3 to lead the CMU eight-hit attack.
The Chippewas play at Michigan on April 11.
