Mount Pleasant, Mich. – Central Michigan will be back on the road this weekend to play in the Hoosier Classic. The Chippewas open the weekend on Friday, March 15, against University of Illinois-Chicago.
 
Central Michigan (10-8) is coming off their annual spring trip to Florida with eight wins. Seniors Macy Merchant and Summer Knoop led the Chippewas at the plate, ranking first and second on the team respectively with a .381 and .341 batting average. Knoop led the team with nine RBIs last week, and was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 25- March 3.
 
Junior pitchers Kristen Kuhlman and Morgan Yuncker combined for a 4-0 record in Florida. Kuhlman won two games and earned a save against Stephen F. Austin. She was named the MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week for the week of Feb. 25-March 3. Yuncker made three starts in Florida, pitching two complete games. She had a 2.20 ERA on the trip, and was named the MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week for the Week of March 4-10.
 
Senior pitcher Kara Dornbos has moved up the all-time list in several categories. She is currently ranked eighth in school history with 98 career appearances, and is ninth with 497.1 innings pitched over the past four seasons. Dornbos has moved into ninth place in program history with 54 complete games, and is now tied for ninth with 16 career shutouts, one coming this season against Bradley on Feb. 15. Senior centerfielder Macy Merchant has also climbed the all-time charts, now ranking eighth in career steals with 56.
 
University of Illinois-Chicago • Friday, March 15 • 1:45 p.m. ET
The Flames are currently 3-15 on the season with wins over Kent State, Central Connecticut and Eastern Kentucky. UIC lost to Quinnipiac, 7-2, and South Florida, 2-1, last week in the Clearwater, Fla. Laura Swan leads the Flames with eight RBIs, and is batting .333 on the season. The Chippewas lost to UIC last season at the Hoosier Classic, 1-0.
 
University of Indiana • Friday, March 15 • 6:15 p.m. ET
The Hoosiers are 12-13 on the season, with wins over Fordham, UMass, Miami (Ohio), and Bradley. Amanda Wagner leads Indiana at the plate with two homeruns and six doubles. She has a .389 batting average and has accumulated 33 total bases. Central Michigan lost to the Hoosiers last season, 5-3.
 
Michigan State • Saturday, March 16 • 4:45 p.m. ET
The Spartans are 14-11 this season, and are 1-4 in their last five games. Michigan State beat UIC twice earlier in the year, and is 1-2 against MAC opponents, losing to Ball State and Eastern Michigan. Kelly Smith has won 11 games this season in the circle for the Spartans, appearing in 21 games. She has pithed four shutouts and has a 2.25 ERA. The Chippewas defeated Michigan State at the Hoosier Classic last season, 8-4, but fell to the Spartans at Margo Jonker Stadium on April 4, 6-1.
 
Wright State • Saturday, March 16 • 7 p.m. ET/Sunday March 17 • 2:30 p.m. ET
The Raiders come into the weekend 2-13, with wins against Wichita State and Lipscomb. Jess Gorman ranks fifth in the Horizon League with five doubles and is batting .294 on the season. Central Michigan defeated the Wright State 9-0 last season at the Hoosier Classic, and is 2-0 all-time against the Raiders.

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