Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
No. 1 Kent State
Chippewas Knock Off Top-Seeded Kent State
5/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
AKRON, Ohio -- Rachael Knapp won a classic pitchers duel and the Central Michigan offense pounced on one of the game's few scoring opportunities Thursday as the Chippewas upset top-seeded Kent State, 1-0, in the Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament at Firestone Stadium.
CMU, which is seeded fourth, will play No. 2-seed Ball State on Friday at 3:30 p.m. in a semifinal game. The winner advances to Saturday's championship game. Ball State advanced with an 8-5 victory over third-seeded Miami (Ohio). The Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the Chippewas in Mount Pleasant on March 28.
"Kent State's a great team and for us to beat them in the MAC Tournament is an awesome accomplishment," CMU coach Margo Jonker said. "Everybody really wants it, everybody's really into it and they're really focused. It had nothing to do with me. It's all about them."
The Chippewas (27-21) scored the game's lone run in the second inning when Sara Hansen singled, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored on a Maison Kalina double.
CMU made the one run stand against Kent State's Emma Johnson, the MAC Pitcher of the Year. Johnson (22-6), who entered the game with a 0.98 earned run average and had won 12 consecutive decisions, struck out 15, walked two, and allowed just three hits.
The Golden Flashes (40-12) saw their win streak end at 10 games.
Knapp, who surrendered four hits, struck out nine and walked one, was up to the task as she pitched out of trouble, particularly late in the game. She stranded two Kent State runners in the fifth and seventh innings, and one in scoring position in the sixth.
"Rachael was amazing," Jonker said. "It was a classic performance. Great movement, great location, great poise, especially in the last inning when they had runners on and nobody out. Great job. I'm very impressed."
Kent State got a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh and single to put runners on the corners with none out. Knapp recorded back-to-back strikeouts then got the final out on a popup.
"I really just tried to breathe, deep breathing, tried to stay focused on the batter, one batter at a time, one pitch at a time," said Knapp who, for the second straight game, was supported by error-free defense behind her.
CMU is seeking its second MAC Tournament championship in the last three years and its record 11th overall.
Kent State will play an elimination game on Friday afternoon against either Akron or Northern Illinois.
