Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Wins Opener Over DePaul, 4-3
2/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 27, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- No. 9-hole hitter Brittany Decker blasted a three-run homer in the fifth inning that sparked Central Michigan University to a 4-3 win over DePaul in the Chippewas' season opener on Friday afternoon.
CMU is in Columbus, Ga., playing in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic.
Senior Amber Puchalski went the distance to pick up the win for CMU. She fanned 11 batters while walking just one. All three runs were earned. Puchalski moved up to second in MAC history with 737 career strikeouts. Former Toledo Rocket pitcher Tami Johnston holds the conference mark at 842.
DePaul (1-5, 0-0 Conference USA) got on the board first with a single run in the third inning thanks to back-to-back hits, including an RBI double by Sarah Martz.
The Chippewas (1-0, 0-0 Mid-American) then posted three on the board in the bottom of the fifth thanks to the roundtripper by Decker. Allie Hansen reached on a fielder's choice in the frame and Stephanie Crews singled putting two runners on for Decker's two-out blast.
The Blue Demons came back to tie it in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer by Saskia Roberson.
CMU took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning when Christan Dhondt led the inning off with a single. DePaul changed pitchers putting freshman Katie Sheaks in the circle. She gave up a single to the first batter she faced, Aimee Smith, and then hit Christin Sobeck with a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Dhondt then scored on a wild pitch giving CMU the lead back.
Freshman Lindsey Calme popped up to third for the first out of the inning and CMU tried scoring another run on a wild pitch but Smith was nailed at the plate. Hansen grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Puchalski got the Blue Demons to go down one-two-three in the top of the seventh, including fanning the final two batters.
Dhondt was the lone Chippewa with two hits. DePaul starter Tracie Adix took the loss in the circle.
DePaul was ranked No. 14 nationally in the preseason and was No. 21 last week but the Blue Demons are unranked this week after falling to three ranked foes.
CMU now faces No. 5 Oklahoma tonight at 7:30 p.m. Live game scoring can be found for most of the games of the tournament on the NFCA Web site, www.nfca.org. CMU faces UMass on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 12:30 p.m.
