Central Michigan University Athletics
Falcons Edge Chippewas in Eight Innings, 7-6
4/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio After being held to just one hit through the first six innings, the Central Michigan University softball exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-4 advantage over Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon.
Unfortunately, the Chippewas couldn’t hold the lead and CMU fell to the Falcons, 7-6 in eight innings.
Bowling Green starter Hayley Wiemer gave up just a second-inning single to Katie Greenman before the Chippewa bats warmed up for seven hits in the seventh inning. CMU was also aided by a Falcon error in the frame as CMU went from nearly being shut out to holding a two-run lead.
Amy Hudson led off with a single and she advanced to second on a passed ball. Brittini Merchant had an RBI double and Greenman followed with a single. Amanda Klosterman and Kim Cozat each had RBI singles up the middle and a throwing error allowed another run to score on Cozat’s hit.
The Chippewa rally caused BGSU coach Shannon Salsburg to make a pitching change and Emily Gouge was brought in. Tracy Kaatz gave her a rude welcome with an RBI single through the right side as CMU took a 5-4 lead.
However, Kaatz was erased as she was thrown out for the first time this season trying to steal second. It ended a streak of 26 consecutive stolen bases this year.
Suzie Giroux and Kari Seddon were issued back-to-back walks and they each advanced on a wild pitch. A Christina Novak RBI single gave CMU a two-run cushion and Novak was able to advance to second on the throw. However, CMU’s rally ended when
BGSU rallied for two runs in the bottom of the frame to tie it but CMU did get out of a jam as the Falcons left the bases loaded.
CMU got one runner on in the eighth but the Chippewas couldn’t continue their momentum from the previous inning.
BGSU used two walks in the eighth for a two-out rally as Allison Vallas delivered the game-winning hit, a single up the middle.
Sophomore Kari Seddon started in the circle for CMU and she gave up a solo homer to Wiemer in the first inning and a three-run shot to Vallas in the sixth. Ali Pettit came on in the sixth for CMU and she ended up taking the loss to drop to 5-7 on the year.
Seddon threw five and two-thirds innings allowing four runs while fanning six. Pettit tossed two complete frames. She allowed four hits and three runs while fanning two. Both pitchers gave up four bases on balls each.
Gouge picked up the relief win for the Falcons, her first of the season. After holding CMU to just one hit through six innings, Wiemer ended up giving up six hits and five runs while striking out seven. Gouge surrendered two hits and a run while faning two.
The Falcons finished with 10 hits to CMU’s eight and BGSU also committed three fielding errors.
Greenman was the lone Chippewa with multiple hits as she was 2-for-3.
Gouge finished 3-for-3 to lead the Falcon offense while Vallas was 2-for-4 with four RBI, including the game-winner.
The two teams will play a single game on Sunday at the BGSU Softball Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
