Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
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Western Michigan
CMU Ousted from MAC Softball Tournament
5/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
AKRON, Ohio -- A valiant effort and a good showing in the tournament.
But in the end, the Central Michigan softball team came up short in its bid to win the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Firestone Stadium.
Western Michigan did all the scoring in its final two at-bats Saturday as the Broncos eliminated the Chippewas, 7-0. The Broncos (25-25) were scheduled to play Ball State in the championship game on Saturday afternoon.
CMU finished 27-23, going 19-8 in its final 27 games.
"I think overall the team really grew a lot over the season and I think they can be proud of themselves for how well we played at the beginning of this tournament, for sure, and towards the end of the regular season," veteran Chippewa coach Margo Jonker said.
The Chippewas, who had defeated Western Michigan, 2-0, to open the tournament and was 3-0 against the Broncos coming into Saturday's game, managed just three hits -- all singles by lead-off hitter Lacy Tolfree -- off Western pitcher Allyson Kus.
CMU had its chances early, stranding two runners in the fourth inning and again in the fifth.
Rachael Knapp, who pitched all four games of the tournament for CMU, took the loss. She allowed four runs on six hits and struck out five over 5 1/3 innings.
Knapp, a sophomore who tossed back-to-back shutouts to open the tournament, surrendered a two-run homer to Ivy Schaaf in the fifth to break a scoreless tie.
The Broncos got back-to-back homers from Kelsea Cichocki and Erin Binkowski during a five-run sixth.
"Rachael Knapp is incredible," Jonker said. "She had an incredible tournament. It was amazing, amazing that she pitched as well as she did. I'm totally impressed that she pitched as well as she did. Awesome.
"Yeah, she got a little tired at the end. And it's pretty stressful when you don't score any runs. She did a great job. Very proud of her."
Freshman Hanna Warren relieved Knapp and closed out the game.
The loss was the final game for CMU seniors Trista Cox, Karly Hansen and Kristen Kuhlman.
"For the seniors, it's `Thanks for everything you've given to the program. Stay in touch; you're always a Chippewa,'" Jonker said. "I'm sure they'll have great lives and be contributors to society, and that's what it's all about."
The Chippewas will return several front-liners next season, including MAC Player of the Year Katelyn Rentschler, league freshman of the year Sara Hansen, and the likes of Knapp, Chelsea DeLamielleure, Maison Kalina and Tolfree.
The run to the final day should, Jonker said, only help the Chippewas going forward.
"I think it'll help quite a bit," she said, "but only time will tell."
