Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Closes In On MAC Title
5/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 4, 2001
MOUNT PLEASANT--Central Michigan is one step closer to winning the Mid-American Conference title and securing the top seed in the conference tournament after posting a 3-1 victory over Eastern Michigan on Friday afternoon at the CMU Softball Complex.
CMU goes for its ninth MAC title in Saturday's doubleheader with Eastern. A CMU sweep would assure Central of no worse than a share of the MAC title. CMU and Bowling Green enter the final day of action with identical 18-4 records.
If the two teams end the season tied, CMU would host the conference tournament by virtue of its three-game sweep of the Falcons earlier in the season.
The win didn't come easy for the Chippewas. The Eagles held a 1-0 lead before the Central rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead.
Eastern got on the scoreboard first with an unearned run in the fourth inning. With two outs, the Eagles put a pair of runners on when Randi Wolfe tripled to right center and Aimee Hamilton walked. Deanna Wisnieski reached base on an error to score Wolfe and give the Eagles a 1-0 advantage.
After a wild pitch moved the runners up, CMU starter Amber Puchalski got Julie Stoll to pop up to record the final out of the inning.
Central stormed back in its portion of the fourth with three runs to make it 3-1.
Amy Morrison led off the inning with a single to right center and moved to second when Hope Robertshaw reached first on an error by the shortstop. Michelle Brander stepped in and roped a double to left center to score both Morrison and Robertshaw.
Kim Burke continued CMU's hot hitting with a single to center to put runners at first and third with no outs. Eastern made a pitching change but Jen Skuta had a sacrifice fly to bring home Brander to increase the lead to 3-1. EMU reliever Aimee Hamilton got the next two batters out to get out of the inning.
Eastern Michigan threatened in the seventh inning when Wisnieski doubled to lead off the inning but Puchalski retired the next three batters to secure the victory.
The contest started off as a pitcher's duel between Puchalski and EMU starter Jessica Price. Neither pitcher gave up a hit in the first three innings of action.
Puchalski picked up her 20th victory of the season with the win. She gave up three hits and one unearned run while striking out six. Puchalski's record stands at 20-7 on the year.
CMU had four hits on the day, led by Brander's double that scored a pair. Morrison, Burke and Becky Manson had Central's other hits.
Central hosts Eastern in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
