Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Split With Defending MAC Champs
4/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Central Michigan softball team stood toe-to-toe with defending Mid-American Conference champion Ball State in a doubleheader split at the BSU Softball Complex on Friday.


The Chippewas (16-11, 3-3 Mid-American) couldn’t overcome an early eight-run deficit in a wild, 12-8, loss in the opener, but dominated the Cardinals in an 11-3 six-inning victory in the finale.
 

“We responded well after playing an ugly first game,” head coach Margo Jonker said. “We hit the ball well today, but we really shored things up defensively in the second game.”
Early Deficit Too Much for Chippewas
Misplays were abundant on both sides in the opener as Central and Ball State combined for 10, which scored seven unearned runs.
CMU got off to an inauspicious start in the opener against last season’s conference champion. Three first-inning errors and six Ball State hits led to a seven-run opening frame for the Cardinals. Ball State jumped ahead, 8-0, in the bottom of the second off another Central miscue, this time a run scoring passed ball.
“This was an ugly game,” Jonker said. “The first inning was particularly ugly as we kept making errors to keep the inning going.”
Facing the possibility of the eight-run rule, the Chippewas embarked on a furious rally to get back into the game. Macy Merchant singled and Christina Novak doubled with one out in the top of the third and came around to score on a two-out error to make it 8-2.
The teams traded runs in the fourth inning as Ball State committed three errors in the top half to allow Molly Coldren to touch home plate while another Maroon and Gold misplay allowed the Cardinals to answer in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-3.
Undeterred, the Chippewas continued to pick away at the deficit by scoring two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Jill Schulz made it 9-5 in the top of the fifth with a two-run double and Brogan Darwin launched a two-run home run in the sixth to pull CMU within 9-7.
“I was really pleased that the team was able to come back and score some runs after falling behind so early,” Jonker said. “If we don’t struggle the way we did in the first inning, it could have been a different game.”
Central made two more errors in the bottom of the sixth and which helped Ball State continue a three-run rally to make it a 12-7 contest.
Molly Coldren launched her seventh homer of the year, one shy of the single season school record, to bring the Chippewas to within 12-8, but that was as close as they got.
Kari Seddon dropped to 8-6 after being knocked out of the game in the first inning. Seddon allowed seven runs (six earned) on five hits and a walk before being replaced by Sarah Patterson, who yielded five runs (four earned) on eight hits in five and a third. She struck out three batters and only walked one.
Chippewa Bats Fly Past Cardinals
CMU scored early and often to recover from the early setback and split the Friday twin bill.
Christina Novak led the game off with a solo home run, her fourth of the season, to put the Chippewas on the board one batter in. Novak’s leadoff shot was her second of the year. Summer Knoop followed the blast with a single and reached second on an error. Jill Schulz brought her home with a two-out double before coming around on a Katie Greenman RBI double to make it 3-0 in the opening frame.
“We did a very good job of starting strong in the second game,” Jonker said. “We built on that start and continued scoring runs throughout.”
The Cardinals responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first via an RBI double and an RBI single, both of which came with two outs, to make it 3-2.
After a scoreless second, Amanda Klosterman brought Greenman home with an RBI double to make put the Maroon and Gold up 4-2.
Ball State climbed within a run once more in the bottom of the fourth behind an RBI single by Alyssa Freiling.
The Cardinals’ defense allowed the Chippewas to gain some breathing room as Amber Olejniczak touched home on a Ball State error and Katie Greenman came around on a wild pitch to make it 6-3.
Central blew the game open in the sixth, plating five runs to go up 11-3. Greenman plated Coldren with an infield single, Klosterman’s RBI single brought Schulz home and Brogan Darwin launched a three-run bomb to cap the scoring. Darwin's blast was the 26th home run the Chippewas have hit this season, a new school record.
Kara Dornbos picked up her seventh victory of the season after holding the potent Ball State offense to three runs on nine hits in six innings. She also struck out three and walked two.
Central heads to Oxford, Ohio, for a two-game set at Miami. First pitch on Saturday is at 2 p.m.
