Central Michigan University
Akron
Warren Tosses A Gem As Chippewas Rebound
4/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score 
Game 1 Box Score
Cullen Maksimowski, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Central Michigan softball team split its Mid-American Conference doubleheader with Akron on Friday at Margo Jonker Stadium.
The Chippewas, blanked in game one, 3-0, bounced back for a 5-0 win in the nightcap, improving to 14-17 overall, 1-4 MAC. Akron is 13-18, 2-3. The rubber match of the three-game series is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.
"I was very disappointed with the outcome and lack of run production in game one," CMU coach Margo Jonker said. "I didn't feel we came in with the energy we should have come in with on a home weekend."
CarolAnn Sexauer homered and Hanna Warren struck out three, walked two and limited the Zips to five hits in going the distance for the victory in game two.
Sexauer's fourth-inning two-run blast broke a scoreless tie as she continued her power surge. It was her fifth homer of the season. All five have come in the Chippewas' last seven games.
"CarolAnn was struggling earlier (this season) and was frustrated with her lack of power and she really worked hard on squaring up the ball," Jonker said.
Katelyn Rentschler tripled following Sexauer's homer and the Chippewas made it 3-0 on Sydney Heath's sacrifice fly. CMU added two more in the fifth on Lacey Tolfree's RBI single and an Akron error. Tolfree and Sexauer finished with two hits apiece.
It was the first shutout of the season for Warren, a sophomore right-hander.
"Hanna pitched very well," Jonker said. "It might be her best game this year and maybe the best game she's pitched for us in her career.
"She had good pitch location today which is always a key for her. I thought she had an amazing game so it was great to see."
The Chippewas could not find an answer for Akron starter Erin Sieler in game one. The senior right-hander went the distance, walking one and striking out six in tossing a two-hitter.
Junior Rachael Knapp (7-9) took the loss, but pitched a respectable game in tossing all seven frames. She gave up seven hits and struck out nine.
Tolfree and Allison Curtis had the hits, both singles, for CMU. Alyssa Nicholas had two hits and drove in a run to lead the Zips at the plate.
The Chippewas solved Seiler (15-11) in the nightcap. She surrendered five runs on five hits, walked one and struck out two over 4 1/3 innings. Kelly Hysong worked the final 1 2/3 innings.
"(Sieler) was pitching outside to everybody (in game one) and we were not doing a good job of staying on that pitch," Jonker said. "We made that adjustment of moving up and we could finally hit that pitch better."
