Softball snaps losing skid with 6-2 win over Toledo
After dropping three straight games and six of their last seven, Central Michigan softball defeated Toledo 6-2 Friday at Margo Jonker Stadium.
The Chippewas scored the same amount of runs Friday than they have the past seven games combined.
“That is Chippewa softball,” said head coach Margo Jonker. “That’s much more like how I know we can play and have played at times this season."
CMU improves to 20-21, 10-8 in Mid-American Conference play and 9-1 at home. The Rockets fall to 30-16 (14-4 MAC).
“Coming in we weren’t thinking about who we were playing,” said junior second basemen Rachel Vieira. “We’ve been focusing a lot on situational hitting at practice just to put ourselves in that mindset."
Toledo, the MAC West Division leaders, scored their first run on the third pitch of the game, a lead-off home run from Ashley Rausch. Senior pitched Hanna Warren allowed two hits and her lone earned run in the opening inning.
CMU would get on the scoreboard in the second inning with an RBI double from senior catcher Maison Kalina, scoring Vieira to tie the game 1-1.
Toledo responded in their half of the third inning by scoring a run off an error from right fielder Lacy Tolfree to take a 2-1 lead.
The Chippewas bounced back in their half of the inning after freshman Sheridan Knapp and junior Erika Underwood each walked after seeing four pitches. Vieira’s first pitch of the at-bat landed on the warning track in left field to score both Knapp and Underwood to take a 3-2 lead.
CMU struck again in the fifth inning with three runs. Vieira scored Knapp off a single to take a 4-2 lead. Kalina followed Vieira’s single with a two-run home run, her second of the season and her first career home run at Margo Jonker Stadium to give the Chippewas a commanding 6-2 lead.
“This team has proved that (the) one through nine (hitters) can come through at any time,” Vieira said. “I had the opportunities with runners on base and I knew it was my time to try and not do too much, just try to poke a ball through and get a run in."
Kalina and Vieira each finished 2-of-3 with three RBIs. Kalina said it feels great to win for the first time in three games.
“I think we’re a lot more comfortable at home,” Kalina said. “We have a lot of energy, this is our last home series. I think that helped."
Warren tossed five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) off eight hits. Senior Taylor Weaver pitched two hitless innings with a strikeout.
“Toledo’s a very good team, I thought our pitchers did a really good job keeping (Toledo’s hitters) off,” Jonker said. “Obviously I wasn’t happy after the first at-bat of the game, but after that we settled in and did a good job defensively, especially with the pitching staff.
Toledo’s Heather Webb hurled 4 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs off six hits and three walks. Maggie McGurk pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one hit, one walk while striking out one.
The series between Toledo and CMU continues with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at Margo Jonker Stadium.
