Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Splits A Pair
3/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 2, 2002
PLANT CITY, Fla - It was like night and day this afternoon in Plant City, Fla., as the Central Michigan softball team split two games this afternoon. The Chippewas, who couldn't get the offense going in game one of the Strawberry Cup tournament, poured the offense on in game two.
CMU fell to long-time rival, Michigan, 1-0, and bounced back to tame the Pittsburgh Panthers, 15-4. The Chippewas boast a 5-4 overall record. Central is 2-1 in tourney action.
Hits and runs were at premium when Central opened action this morning against Michigan. Michigan tallied three hits to Central's two. Michigan would score a run in the third inning and that would be all the Wolverines would need to wrap up the win. CMU tried to mount a rally in the bottom of the sixth when Christin Sobeck hit a lead-off double. She was sacrificed to third where she was stranded.
Karly McCormack was 1-for-2 with a double as was Sobeck..
Offense was for the taking as CMU topped the Panthers in a five-inning match. The game was halted due to the 10-run mercy rule in college softball. Central Michigan jumped on the Panthers with a three-run first inning. It was highlighted by a three-run homer by Jennifer Skuta, her second in as many days. The Chippewas upped their lead to eight with an eight-run third inning. Skuta's stick did the damage again as she launched a double off the center field fence. Sobeck and Michelle Brander trotted home easily. CMU also added four runs in the fourth.
Skuta was 2-for-3 with five RBI. Becky Manson was stellar as the lead-off batter. She was 3-for-3 with two RBI. Devon Burzynski was solid as well with a 1-for-2 performance and two RBI. Cara McAlpin got her first career pitching start and tallied her first win. She allowed two earned run in five innings of work.
Strawberry Cup action continues tomorrow afternoon for the Chippewas. They face MAC rival, Ohio, in the morning and wrap up action against the 25th-ranked South Carolina.
