Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Central Florida
Benedict Homer Gives Chippewas 3-2 Win
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 6, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. - Sophomore Jacque Benedict drove in two runs, including the game-winner with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, to lift Central Michigan University to a 3-2 win over host UCF on Sunday afternoon at the UCF Tournament in Orlando. The Chippewas fell to the Golden Knights by a 6-3 count on Friday.
CMU is now 3-3 on the year while UCF drops to 19-12-1.
The Maroon and Gold tallied six hits and committed one error while the Golden Knights had seven hits and one fielding error.
The Chippewas used three hits in the first inning to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead. Benedict tallied an RBI infield single for the first run and the second scored on a Golden Knight throwing error.
Pitcher Jill DeRoche, who just starting throwing in the past week after being hampered by back problems, held UCF scoreless for the first four innings, allowing just two hits. She was relieved by junior Jessica Garvin who came in and gave up two runs (one earned) in the top of the fifth to knot the score.
That set the stage for Benedict in the bottom of the sixth to crush a one-out line drive over the fence in left.
"Benedict's homer was a liner that just cleared the fence height-wise but kept going," head coach Margo Jonker said. "I was happy with the way we came out and took the control early. But, we started chasing pitches and couldn't get anything going after that for a while. It was encouraging to see Jill pitch well for four innings since she's been limited with how much she's been able to throw so far."
Garvin (2-1) ends up getting credit for the win after going three innings and surrendering five hits. UCF starter Jennifer Tomasetti took the loss.
Benedict finished 2-for-3 and Karen Hohs and Christan Dhondt each had doubles.
The Chippewas are off on Monday before playing a single game against Penn State on Tuesday, March 8, in Orlando at 11 a.m. PSU defeated CMU, 3-0, on Friday to begin the Chippewas' Florida junket.
