Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Hosts Final Games of the Regular Season
5/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Saturday, May 5, 2 p.m., Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Margo Jonker Stadium)
Chips for a Cure/Strike Out Cancer
Due to commencement on Saturday fans to park in Lot 64
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
Sunday, May 6, 1 p.m., Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Margo Jonker Stadium)
Senior Day
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
Preview
The Central Michigan softball team will close out the regular season this weekend with a set of home games against Eastern Michigan on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game, which begins at 2 p.m., will be the annual Chips for a Cure/Strike out Cancer game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of Brest Cancer Awareness. Following the game, the team will host an autograph session, signing pink Wilson softballs, and a home run derby. Fans can donate $1 to try to hit a home run themselves or donate $2 to have a CMU player hit one for them. All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. On Sunday, the game will begin at 1 p.m. with a special presentation for the three seniors who will be playing their last game in Margo Jonker Stadium.
The Eagles enter this weekend's matchup following a tough mid-week schedule in which they dropped a 4-2 decision to Michigan, in nine innings, and fell 10-0 to Notre Dame. They split their last two MAC series with Akron and Ohio. Katy Blaharski, who is batting .360 overall and is seventh in the MAC with 22 hits during conference play, leads EMU offensively. Lauren Wells and Jenna Ignowski are both seeing time in the circle for the Eagles. Wells has a team-low 3.24 ERA while striking out 82 batters in 99.1 innings.
| Top Hitters | |||||||
| CMU | Avg. | Other | Eastern Michigan | Avg. | Other | ||
| Macy Merchant | .361 | 57 Hits | Katy Blaharski | .360 | 58 Hits | ||
| Molly Coldren | .340 | 13 HR | Jessica Richards | .335 | 41 SB | ||
| Ashley Gilson | .296 | 21 BB | McKenna Russ | .297 | 12 2B | ||
| CarolAnn Sexauer | .288 | 8 2B | Amanda Herron | .250 | 5 HR | ||
| Team Comparison | ||
| | ||
| 2.82 | ERA | 3.73 |
| .259 | Avg. Against | .259 |
| .271 | Batting Avg. | .252 |
| .384 | Slugging Pct. | .363 |
| 206 | Runs Scored | 197 |
| 61 | Stolen Bases | 75 |
Storylines
CMU's Best Hitter Ever? -- Molly Coldren became the Chippewas' all-time RBI leader earlier this season when she hit a two-run home run against IPFW. She currently has 132 RBI, passing the leader, Eli Barnes, who had the record of 125. This season Coldren leads the team in doubles (9), home runs (13), RBI (42), slugging percentage (.695) and on-base percentage (.431). She is third in the MAC in home runs, RBI, total bases and in slugging percentage.
Coldren holds the program's top-three single-season home run records and two of the top-five single-season RBI records. She has 13 home runs this season, which places her two shy of setting a new single-season record (set by her last year at 14). She has scored the fourth-most runs in school history and will finish in the top-10 in batting average.
Coldren has also hit seven home runs in the past 13 games after only hitting six in the first 36 games. During those 13 games she also has 14 RBI and an .818 slugging percentage.
Last Game for the Seniors -- This will be the last game at Margo Jonker Stadium for four-year starters Molly Coldren and Ashley Gilson, along with classmate Rachael Hensel. As a class they have combined for 95 wins overall and 38 conference victories. They have advanced two times to the MAC tournament, looking to make this year number three.
MAC Standings -- The Chippewas are 9-10 in MAC play this year. Currently CMU is third in the MAC West and seventh overall. The Maroon and Gold will look to secure a spot in the 2012 MAC Tournament in which the top eight teams advance. The tournament will be May 9-12 at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.
MAC Rankings (May 1) -- Macy Merchant holds the ninth-best batting average among all MAC players at .361 and holds the sixth-most hits at 57. Molly Coldren, who recorded her 13th home run of the season over the weekend against Akron, is third in the long ball category, third in slugging percentage (.695) and third in RBI (41). Kara Dornbos holds the seventh-best overall ERA at 2.45 and is tied for third with five shutouts.
In MAC games, Dornbos has the sixth-lowest ERA at 2.36. CarolAnn Sexauer is tied for fifth with six doubles, while Coldren has six league home runs placing her tied for fourth.
No Free Passes -- The CMU pitching staff has not issued a walk in the last two games, 49 batters, it has faced (214 pitches). Kara Dornbos was also awarded MAC West Pitcher of the Week for her 2-1 performance last week. She held the three teams she faced to a 0.42 ERA and only allowed one earned run in 16.2 innings pitched.
Home Run Ends It -- Sophomore Karly Hansen found the perfect time to record her first home run of her collegiate career - in the bottom of the fifth against Akron. With two runners on base, Hansen pinch-hit and ended the game with a three-run home run. The Chippewas were able to mercy Akron for their fifth mercy this season.
Touch ‘Em All Tidbits --
- CMU is 14-2 when scoring more than six runs and 21-7 when it produces three or more runs.
- CMU is...
- 11-5 when scoring in the first inning
- 19-7 when scoring first
- 21-5 when out-hitting the opponent
- 3-18 when scoring under two runs
- The Chippewas are 21-3 when leading after four innings, 17-2 when leading after five and 16-1 when leading after six.
NCAA Rankings (April 29) --The Chippewas are 52nd currently in the country averaging .35 double plays per game; they have turned 17 this season and are 63rd in stolen bases per game, averaging 1.24. The Maroon and Gold have jumped into the top-100 in earned run average at 95th, with a team ERA of 2.82.
Individually Molly Coldren is 56th in home runs per game (.27), 77th in RBI per game (.86) and 69th in slugging percentage (.695). Kara Dornbos holds the 80th position for her two saves on the season.
