Central Michigan University Athletics
National Power Michigan Headlines Important Week for Softball
4/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MOUNT PLEASANT Following a weekend of conference games, the Central Michigan (7-18, 1-6 Mid-American) faces a pair of in-state rivals this week.
The Chippewas host No. 8 Michigan at Margo Jonker Stadium Wednesday, at 4 p.m. before hitting the road for a pair of MAC games against Eastern Michigan on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)
CMU is hoping to bust out of a team-wide slump in which the squad has dropped nine of its past 10 games, the first time that has happened since 1995, having been outscored 51-16 in this stretch. The Chippewas have also suffered six straight defeats for the first time since 1990.
“We need to start setting the tone both offensively and defensively,” head coach Margo Jonker said. “We took an early lead in our first game against Ohio and I thought the team played well on Sunday, but did not catch any breaks.”
The Wolverines have risen to eighth in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association top-25 poll and have won six straight. UM is 26-9 and 4-2 in the Big Ten Conference. The Maroon and Gold are 30-41 all-time against Michigan. Last season, the Chippewas lost a tight contest to the sixth-ranked Wolverines, 4-3, in which they had the tying run at third base with one out in the seventh.
Michigan comes in with a team batting average of .274 and has clubbed 28 home runs in 35 games. The Wolverines are also tough in the circle, posting a 1.17 earned run average while holding opponents to a .162 average against.
“This is a big week for us to turn things around,” Jonker said. “Michigan has a strong program and we have performed well against them in the past. I believe we will step up and compete strongly.”
Eastern Michigan is 13-22 overall and sits at the bottom of the MAC with a 1-7 mark in league play. The Eagles have lost four straight games and dropped seven consecutive MAC contests after a conference-opening win over Miami. CMU won both meetings against EMU in 2008, scoring 11 runs in the two contests.
Eastern boasts the third-highest batting average in the MAC at .278, but its hurlers sport a 3.85 ERA (eighth). The Eagles were picked to finish last in the MAC West in the preseason poll.
“With our series against Eastern, both of clubs are struggling and need to start making up ground in the MAC,” Jonker said. “This series is a matter of us turning the corner and we need to do that this week. Eastern plays well against us and we anticipate excellent competition this weekend.”
Live stats will be available for all three games this week on cmuchippewas.com. The Michigan game will be broadcast on WMHW-FM 91.5.
CMU News and Notes:
Climbing the Leaderboard: Ali Pettit is putting her name among the school’s elite in her final season with the Maroon and Gold. She is in the top ten on CMU’s career list in six different categories, including wins (10th; 40), strikeouts (ninth; 287), complete games (ninth; 45), innings pitched (eighth; 460.7), appearances (t-fourth; 106) and saves (t-fifth; five).
Stepping Up in the MAC: After a slow start, junior rightfielder Katie Greenman’s bat has heated up since conference play began. In seven MAC games, the Shelbyville, Mich. native is batting a team-best .333 and is tied for second on the squad with two RBI. Greenman has found a variety of ways to get on base as she has also drawn three walks and been plunked twice, giving her a .478 on-base percentage.
Merchant Goes Deep: Sophomore shortstop Brittini Merchant hit her second career home run in the first inning of CMU’s contest against Akron last Friday. The blast was her first of the season and the Chippewas’ first since Katie Greenman went deep against Boston on March 10, a span of 13 games.
A Dozen is Grand: The Central Michigan softball program is on the verge of a milestone. The Chippewas sit 12 wins shy of 1,000 all-time victories. Since the school began playing softball in 1979, CMU has a 988-568-5 record (.635 winning percentage) and has posted a .500 record or better in 29 of 30 seasons.
Jonker Nearing 1,000: Head coach Margo Jonker has achieved several milestones in her 30 seasons at the helm of the CMU softball team, and she is closing in on another. Jonker is 27 wins away from 1,000 career victories. The Chippewas have finished .500 or better in 28 of her 29 seasons
On the Air: All of Central Michigan’s home games will be broadcast on CMU’s student radio station, WMHW-FM 91.5. A free stream is available on cmuchippewas.com.
On Deck: The Chippewas enter their busiest stretch of the season next week, beginning with a home doubleheader with Detroit on Tuesday, April 14 at 2 p.m. Central then heads to Michigan State for a single game at 4 p.m. on Wednesday before returning home for a pair of weekend series against MAC East foes. CMU hosts a doubleheader against Buffalo beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday and closes the weekend with single games against preseason MAC favorite Kent State on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
The Chippewas host No. 8 Michigan at Margo Jonker Stadium Wednesday, at 4 p.m. before hitting the road for a pair of MAC games against Eastern Michigan on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)
CMU is hoping to bust out of a team-wide slump in which the squad has dropped nine of its past 10 games, the first time that has happened since 1995, having been outscored 51-16 in this stretch. The Chippewas have also suffered six straight defeats for the first time since 1990.
“We need to start setting the tone both offensively and defensively,” head coach Margo Jonker said. “We took an early lead in our first game against Ohio and I thought the team played well on Sunday, but did not catch any breaks.”
The Wolverines have risen to eighth in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association top-25 poll and have won six straight. UM is 26-9 and 4-2 in the Big Ten Conference. The Maroon and Gold are 30-41 all-time against Michigan. Last season, the Chippewas lost a tight contest to the sixth-ranked Wolverines, 4-3, in which they had the tying run at third base with one out in the seventh.
Michigan comes in with a team batting average of .274 and has clubbed 28 home runs in 35 games. The Wolverines are also tough in the circle, posting a 1.17 earned run average while holding opponents to a .162 average against.
“This is a big week for us to turn things around,” Jonker said. “Michigan has a strong program and we have performed well against them in the past. I believe we will step up and compete strongly.”
Eastern Michigan is 13-22 overall and sits at the bottom of the MAC with a 1-7 mark in league play. The Eagles have lost four straight games and dropped seven consecutive MAC contests after a conference-opening win over Miami. CMU won both meetings against EMU in 2008, scoring 11 runs in the two contests.
Eastern boasts the third-highest batting average in the MAC at .278, but its hurlers sport a 3.85 ERA (eighth). The Eagles were picked to finish last in the MAC West in the preseason poll.
“With our series against Eastern, both of clubs are struggling and need to start making up ground in the MAC,” Jonker said. “This series is a matter of us turning the corner and we need to do that this week. Eastern plays well against us and we anticipate excellent competition this weekend.”
Live stats will be available for all three games this week on cmuchippewas.com. The Michigan game will be broadcast on WMHW-FM 91.5.
CMU News and Notes:
Climbing the Leaderboard: Ali Pettit is putting her name among the school’s elite in her final season with the Maroon and Gold. She is in the top ten on CMU’s career list in six different categories, including wins (10th; 40), strikeouts (ninth; 287), complete games (ninth; 45), innings pitched (eighth; 460.7), appearances (t-fourth; 106) and saves (t-fifth; five).
Stepping Up in the MAC: After a slow start, junior rightfielder Katie Greenman’s bat has heated up since conference play began. In seven MAC games, the Shelbyville, Mich. native is batting a team-best .333 and is tied for second on the squad with two RBI. Greenman has found a variety of ways to get on base as she has also drawn three walks and been plunked twice, giving her a .478 on-base percentage.
Merchant Goes Deep: Sophomore shortstop Brittini Merchant hit her second career home run in the first inning of CMU’s contest against Akron last Friday. The blast was her first of the season and the Chippewas’ first since Katie Greenman went deep against Boston on March 10, a span of 13 games.
A Dozen is Grand: The Central Michigan softball program is on the verge of a milestone. The Chippewas sit 12 wins shy of 1,000 all-time victories. Since the school began playing softball in 1979, CMU has a 988-568-5 record (.635 winning percentage) and has posted a .500 record or better in 29 of 30 seasons.
Jonker Nearing 1,000: Head coach Margo Jonker has achieved several milestones in her 30 seasons at the helm of the CMU softball team, and she is closing in on another. Jonker is 27 wins away from 1,000 career victories. The Chippewas have finished .500 or better in 28 of her 29 seasons
On the Air: All of Central Michigan’s home games will be broadcast on CMU’s student radio station, WMHW-FM 91.5. A free stream is available on cmuchippewas.com.
On Deck: The Chippewas enter their busiest stretch of the season next week, beginning with a home doubleheader with Detroit on Tuesday, April 14 at 2 p.m. Central then heads to Michigan State for a single game at 4 p.m. on Wednesday before returning home for a pair of weekend series against MAC East foes. CMU hosts a doubleheader against Buffalo beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday and closes the weekend with single games against preseason MAC favorite Kent State on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
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