Central Michigan University Athletics
Softball Splits a Pair in Day Two at Miken Classic
3/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BOCA RATON, Fla. The strong pitching that propelled the Central Michigan softball team to a pair of day one victories carried over into the second day of the Miken Classic hosted by Florida Atlantic University. Unfortunately, the Chippewas were only able to split their games against Harvard and Stony Brook.
Ali Pettit blanked Harvard, 1-0, a day after her perfect game against Columbia to give CMU its third straight win. Courtney King posted a strong performance in her collegiate debut against Stony Brook, but took the loss in a 2-0 setback.
Central is now 3-6 on the season and 3-1 in the Miken Classic with one tournament game remaining against Towson at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Central Michigan 1, Harvard 0
Ali Pettit limited the Crimson to three hits while walking only one batter and striking out six. Pettit has yet to allow a run in two starts in the Miken Classic.
The senior improves to 2-3 on the season and moves into a tie for 10th place on CMU’s all-time list with 37 career victories.
Central was held to only two hits for the straight game, but made it count when Christina Novak belted her fourth home run of the season in the fourth inning for the game’s only offense.
Novak’s homer matches her previous career best from her freshman season. It is also the 10th home run of her career, which is tied the ninth most in school history. Novak also notched her first stolen base of the season.
Stony Brook 2, Central Michigan 0
Central was unable to overcome its prolonged slump at the plate against Stony Brook in their second contest of the day.
The Chippewas only mustered four hits in a 2-0 defeat to the Seawolves. Through four games at the Miken Classic, Central has scored only six runs while batting .174 (15-for-86). CMU has only managed two runs and a .125 average (8-for-64) in the past three games.
The Chippewas nearly opened the scoring in the third inning when Tracy Kaatz hit a bloop single to left with two outs and a runner in scoring position. Unfortunately, Stony Brook’s leftfielder Crista Cerrone gunned out Amanda Klosterman at the plate to end the frame.
Freshman Courtney King made her collegiate debut in the circle and scattered three hits and two walks in four innings of work. She also fanned four batters.
The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the fourth inning. After a one-out walk, King issued a groundball to short, but a Brittini Merchant error put runners at first and second. King retired the next hitter, but allowed a two-run double to Kelly Oberto to plate the only runs of the game. Both runs were unearned.
Kim Campbell relieved King in the bottom of the fifth inning and pitched two scoreless innings.
Central had a threat in the fifth inning when Amanda Patrick led off with a bunt single. After a sacrifice bunt moved her to second, Jill Schulz hit a single and advanced to second when the outfielder threw home to hold Patrick at third. With the tying runs in scoring position, Klosterman flied out to shallow center and Ashley Gilson struck out to end the inning.
