Showdown Series At Margo Jonker Stadium
4/27/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (31-13, 13-5) vs. BALL STATE (29-21, 13-5)
Friday-Saturday, April 28-29 • Margo Jonker Stadium • Mount Pleasant, Mich • Radio: WMHW 101.1-FM • Live Stats: cmuchippewas.com
• Central Michigan entertains Ball State this weekend in a big Mid-American Conference series beginning on Friday (3 p.m.) and concluding on Saturday with a doubleheader (1 p.m.).
• The teams are tied for the best record in the MAC, and share first place in the West Division.
• The Chippewas are coming off a dramatic 6-2 nonconference victory over Michigan State on Wednesday. CMU sophomore Erika Underwood's two-out grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Chippewas the walk-off win.
• CMU took two of three in a MAC series last weekend from Northern Illinois. The Chippewas have won all six of their league series this season.
• Since beginning the season 1-6, CMU has won 30 of its last 37 starts.
• Ball State took two of three from Toledo last weekend in a MAC series. The Cardinals have also won all six of their league series.
• Both teams close regular-season play the following weekend. CMU goes to Eastern Michigan, while Ball State goes to Western Michigan.
• CMU leads the MAC in both hitting and pitching. The Chippewas enter Friday's game with a .292 team batting average and a 1.80 team earned run average.
• Ball State is tied for sixth in the league in hitting at .270, and is third in pitching with a 2.71 ERA.
• CMU sophomore Allison Curtis ranks second in the league with a .404 batting average, while junior Maison Kalina is eighth (.362).
• Chippewa pitchers Rachael Knapp and Hanna Warren rank among the best in the conference. Knapp, who is 18-8, is tied for the top spot in wins and ranks second with a 1.36 ERA. Warren (10-5) is seventh in the league with a 2.30 ERA.
• Knapp leads the MAC with 10 shutouts and 22 complete games, is second in opponent batting average (.192), and third in strikeouts per game (8.21).
• Ball State pitchers Alyssa Rothwell and Darcie Huber, both of whom are freshman, are third and eighth in the conference, respectively, in ERA. Rothwell comes into the weekend with a 2.11 ERA, Huber with a 2.43.
