Central Michigan University
St. Bonaventure
Softball Rebounds, Earns Title Shot
2/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MACON, Ga. - Two games, two shutouts, two offensive explosions.
And, a trip to the championship game.
The Central Michigan softball team defeated St. Bonaventure, 10-0, and Mercer, 8-0, Saturday in the Mercer Invitational. The Chippewas (2-2) will play Pittsburgh (4-0) Sunday at 2:15 p.m. in the title game.
CMU fell to the Panthers, 2-0, in their tournament opener on Friday, when they also lost to Mercer, 5-3. The Chippewas had just 10 hits in those two games, but rebounded to collect 23 hits - including four home runs - in their two Saturday wins.
And, they received solid pitching performances from Rachael Knapp and Hanna Warren.
"The big difference was the approach at the plate," CMU coach Margo Jonker said. "We were much more aggressive and we swung the bat much more confidently, with a lot more pop today.
"They did a great job coming back after not such a good day (Friday). That shows a lot of heart. They're competing. It's impressive."
Warren struck out three and walked one in tossing a two-hitter in the victory over St. Bonaventure, and Knapp followed with nine-strikeout performance against the host Bears.
It was a particularly gratifying bounce-back performance for Warren, who didn't make it out of the third inning of her start against Mercer on Friday.
"I think it's the same thing as with our hitters," Jonker said. "She was tentative (Friday) in the circle and today she went at them. That's the whole key. Yesterday we were sitting back and today we took charge."
Chelsea DeLamielleure, Katelyn Rentschler and Maison Kalina each homered in the victory over Mercer, and Lacy Tolfree hit a three-run shot in the win over St. Bonaventure.
DeLamielleure, Rachel Vieira, CarolAnn Sexauer, Sydney Heath and Kristen Goodall finished with two hits apiece against the Bonnies. Goodall and Sexauer each drove in two runs.
The Chippewas built a 3-0 lead through two innings, then added two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Heath and Kalina finished with a pair of hits apiece against Mercer, while Rentschler, DeLamielleure and Allison Curtis each had two RBI.
Knapp walked two and allowed four hits in tossing the shutout.
