Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Sweep Rockets
4/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
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MOUNT PLEASANT A hot start in the first inning of game one vaulted the Central Michigan University softball team to a doubleheader sweep over visiting Toledo on Friday afternoon at the CMU Softball Complex.
The Chippewas (16-16, 4-4 Mid-American) tallied five runs in the first inning of the opener while cruising to a 9-1, five-inning victory. CMU then notched a 2-0 win in the nightcap as Jill DeRoche tossed a three-hit shutout.
CMU closes out the home season on the weekend when the Chippewas welcome Bowling Green for single games on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch on Saturday is set for 2 p.m., while Senior Day on Sunday begins at 1 p.m.
Central Michigan 9, Toledo 1
The Chippewas tacked five runs on the board in the first inning with three scoring on a bases-loaded double by freshman Christina Novak. That jump started the Chippewas to a convincing 9-1 win in the opener.
CMU finished 10 hits in the game and the Chippewas were aided by four Rocket errors.
The Chippewas added four runs in the third inning in support of Ali Pettit (11-6) who picked up her third victory of the week. Pettit allowed six hits and struck out seven but she walked six batters.
UT’s lone run came in the third when Pettit issued a leadoff walked and then gave up a bases-loaded base on balls.
Leadoff batter Tracy Kaatz and three-hole hitter Amy Hudson provided the offensive fireworks for the Chippewas. Kaatz was 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Hudson was 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored.
Hudson opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning and she had a three-run triple in the fourth, a play in which she scored following a throwing error trying to get her at third.
Kim Cozat tallied CMU’s only other RBI with a single in the first.
Starter Sierra Pereira (2-6) took the loss for the Rockets after going the first two and one third innings. She gave up nine runs, seven of them earned, while walking two. Andrea Wabol closed the final one and two thirds innings.
Central Michigan 2, Toledo 0
Jill DeRoche picked up her second complete game shutout of the season as the Chippewas blanked Toledo, 2-0, in the nightcap. DeRoche allowed just three hits in the game, all three by Rocket left fielder Andrea Wabol.
DeRoche (3-4) struck out five and walked five.
The Chippewas scored both of their runs in the third inning. Following a leadoff walk and a sacrifice, Suzie Giroux drove in Kim Cozat from second with an RBI double up the middle. Giroux went to third on a bloop double by Amy Hudson and then scored on a squeeze bunt by senior Jacque Benedict.
CMU had six hits compared to the Rockets’ three and neither team had an error.
Hudson and Giroux each went 2-for-3 with a double.
Toledo’s Stephanie Moore (3-16) took the loss after going the distance.
NOTES:
CMU players and coaches wore orange wristbands in tribute to the victims of Monday’s campus tragedy at Virginia Tech ... CMU batters struck out just once in each game ... Chippewa pitchers issued 11 walks in the two games combined ... Amy Hudson and Tracy Kaatz are both hitting .533 this week going 8-for-15 in CMU’s five games ... the Chipewas will celebrate Senior Day on Sunday, honoring Jacque Benedict, Lindsey Calme, Stephanie Crews, Jill DeRoche and Katie Horvath ... at 16-16, CMU is .500 or better for the first time this season ... entering the day, CMU was hitting .074 (2-for-27) as a team with the bases loaded; the Chippewas went 2-for-4 on Friday with a pair of base-clearing hits ... Christina Novak now has three of CMU’s four bases-loaded hits on the season with two three-run doubles coming this week ... Bowling Green, CMU’s opponent this weekend, was swept at Eastern Michigan on Friday by scores of 1-0 and 2-1 ... an autograph session will follow Saturday’s game against Bowling Green ... CMU is holding a Strike Out Cancer fundraiser for the two games against BGSU; donations are being accepted per strikeout by a CMU pitcher or run scored by the CMU team.
