Bean And The Big Inning

Friday, April 5

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

3 p.m.

Central Michigan University

14-18-1, 5-3-1

Ohio

25-13, 6-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ohio	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	3	0
Central Michigan	0	0	1	5	0	1	X	7	10	1

CMU players celebrate their 7-3 victory over Ohio on Friday at Margo Jonker Stadium.

Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf

4/5/2019 6:25:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Chippewas take series opener from Ohio

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Kaitlyn Bean answered. So did her teammates.

Bean tossed a three-hitter and Central Michigan used a five-run fourth inning on Friday in topping Ohio, 7-3, in the opener of a three-game Mid-American Conference softball series at CMU's Margo Jonker Stadium.

Bean, a freshman right-hander, struck out six and walked just one in taming the MAC's best-hitting team. The Chippewas improved to 14-18-1, 5-3-1 MAC. Ohio is 25-13, 6-3.

The teams close the series on Saturday (1 p.m.) with a doubleheader.

"We knew Ohio coming in, they're record is very good overall," CMU coach Margo Jonker said. "They've done extremely well and they're hitting the heck out of the ball. So to come in here and win the game when we've been up and down, it's pretty amazing.

"The energy the players had and the execution was good. I was really proud of them."

HOW IT HAPPENED
Deanna Cole hit a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning to put Ohio up, 3-1. The Chippewas answered with five runs on four hits in the bottom half of the frame, chasing Bobcat starter Madi McCrady (16-8).

Tala Dean's two-run double off the fence in left-center field broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fourth.

Bean (5-3) allowed just one baserunner – a two-out single in the sixth inning – the rest of the way in finishing the complete game.

"Obviously that was huge," Jonker said of Bean's ability to rebound after surrendering the three-run homer. "I thought she pitched a great game. I'm really proud of her."

Said Bean: "Once I gave that (three-run homer) up I said, 'no more.' I knew that my team could come back. It was all them being supportive of me and me believing in it too."

IN THE CIRCLE
The Bobcats entered the game with a MAC-best .310 team batting average and 51 home runs on the season. The top four hitters in Ohio's lineup, a quartet that entered the game hitting a combined .376, went 0-for-11 against Bean.

"You go in knowing that they're a good hitting team and you just attack," said Bean, who consistently got ahead early in counts throughout the game. "You can't be scared with these types of hitters; you can't be timid or they'll eat you up."

It was Bean's second-consecutive solid start. She allowed three runs on six hits in earning the victory on Tuesday in CMU's 11-3 run-rule victory over Western Michigan.

"I feel like I've gotten comfortable and I've settled in a little bit," said Bean, who last year at this time was pitching for Oxford High School. "You have to adjust. You're a little anxious at the beginning and I had that and now I've realized I've just got to play my game.

"I love the environment here and so happy I get to compete in these games."

AT THE PLATE
Rachel Vieira had three hits to lead CMU's 10-hit attack, while Sara Hansen and Morgan Gardner had two each. Chippewa leadoff hitter Shaidan Knapp walked three times and scored three runs.