Central Michigan University Athletics
West-Leading Chippewas Fly Past Eagles in Saturday Twin Bill
4/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. — A dramatic extra inning grand slam propelled the Central Michigan softball team to a doubleheader sweep over Mid-American Conference rival Eastern Michigan on Saturday.
The Chippewas improved to 24-13 and 10-4 in conference play to maintain their lead in the MAC West division.
Patrick Slam Hands Chippewas Game One Victory
Amanda Patrick deposited her first career grand slam in the eighth inning to snap a 1-1 tie as Central pulled out a 5-3, extra-inning victory over Eastern in the opener.
Eastern opened the scoring in the bottom of the third when Stacie Skodinski hit a solo home run with two outs to take a 1-0 lead.
The Maroon and Gold manufactured a run in the top of the fourth as Molly Coldren walked, moved to second on a sacrifice, took third on a single and scored on an error to tie the contest at one apiece.
Kari Seddon and Eastern’s Jamie Melchert traded zeroes for the next three innings as the game went to extras to determine the winner.
The Chippewa offense got to work immediately in the top of the eighth as Katie Greenman started with a walk, Molly Coldren doubled and Jill Schulz reached on an infield hit to load the bases for Patrick, who cleared the fences with her fifth home run of the season and her first since March 24, to give CMU its first lead of the contest at 5-1.
The Eagles would not go quietly as Nellie Coquillard cut their deficit in half with a two-run homer with two down, bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle. Seddon recovered to strike out pinch hitter Allison Scherer to secure the victory.
The Chippewas outhit the Eagles, 8-6, and drew eight walks while only issuing two free passes.
Seddon tossed her 13th complete game of the season to improve to 13-7. She allowed three runs on six hits while walking only two batters and striking out a season-high 12.
Chippewas Overpower Eagles in Series Finale
The Maroon and Gold offense belted two more home runs to jump out to an early lead in the series finale.
Molly Coldren got Central on the board in the top of the third with a two-run homer, her 10th of the season, to make it 2-0.
Eastern answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame when Jenny Scherer drilled a double down the left field line to make it a one-run contest. The Eagles put the tying run at third with one out, but Kara Dornbos induced a ground out and struck out the final batter to end the scoring threat.
The Maroon and Gold plated three more runs in the top of the fourth as Christina Novak cracked an RBI single to score Brogan Darwin and Ashley Gilson followed with a two-run homer (her fifth of the season) to make it 5-1.
Central made it 7-1 in the sixth as Gilson drove in Darwin with a ground ball and Greenman plated Novak with a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.
Dornbos improved to 10-3 after allowing only the one run on eight hits, including only one in the final three innings. She did not walk a single batter and struck out three.
The Chippewas return to play on April 30 for a doubleheader at Buffalo.
