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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan softball team split a doubleheader with Ohio on Friday in Margo Jonker Stadium.
The Chippewas (22-25, 7-10 Mid-American) had a rough defensive outing in game one, as they fell 10-6, but rebounded on the arm of Kara Dornbos in game two, claiming a 3-1 win. Dornbos held the Bobcats' (22-25, 9-7 MAC) offense to only three hits in the second game after they recorded eight in game one.
The Maroon and Gold will host Akron in a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday.
Errors Cost Chippewas
The Bobcats grabbed their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth inning. The first two batters reached base due to back-to-back CMU errors. Following a fielder's choice, which allowed Summer Knoop to glove a one-hopper and throw home to Rachael Hensel for an out at the plate, Raven King sent a three-run home run over deep center field, handing her team a 7-4 lead.
For the 15th time this season the Chippewas struck first in the opening inning. After retiring the first three batters for OU, CMU's leadoff hitter, Macy Merchant, reached base with a single to right field. Following a strikeout, Knoop singled to left, placing runners on second and third. The cleanup batter, Molly Coldren, connected on the perfect pitch and drilled a ball well over the right center fence, giving her team an early 3-0 lead.
After the first eight Bobcat batters were retired, OU strung together two base hits against Chelsea Sundberg. A wild pitch advanced the runners up a base for Brooke Morgart, who brought both runners home with a single up the middle. The visitors trailed 3-2 heading into the home half of the inning.
In the bottom of the third the Chippewas recaptured one of the runs they gave up in the top of the inning, following Ashley Gilson's third home run of the season.
In the top of the fourth, the Bobcats struck again. With a runner on third and two outs, a costly error by CMU allowed the runner to cross home bringing the deficit to 4-3. Two more consecutive errors by the home team loaded the bases for Jillian Van Wagnen who drew a walk allowing the Bobcats to tie the game at four.
King duplicated her performance from the fifth inning in the sixth when she sent another three-run bomb over center pushing the lead out to 10-4.
In the bottom of the seventh the Chippewas began the inning with the first two batters being hit by pitcher Lauren McClary. A single by Gilson loaded the bases for Brogan Darwin, who was also hit by an inside pitch, bringing a run home. A sacrifice fly to left field by CarolAnn Sexauer drove home another run, but that would be all the Chippewas could muster as they fell 10-6.
Gilson finished the game 2-for-2 with a RBI while Coldren was 1-for-4 with three RBI.
Sundberg (8-8) lasted 4.1 innings allowing seven runs on two hits. Only two of the seven runs were earned as her defense generated five errors. Morgan Yuncker threw the remaining 2.2 innings allowing three runs on three hits.
For the Bobcats, McClary (14-14) threw all seven innings allowing six runs on seven hits. She also struck out nine CMU batters.
Dornbos Pitches CMU to 3-1 Win
For the second consecutive inning the Chippewas got two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth. Two straight hits from Ashley Gilson and Brogan Darwin allowed CarolAnn Sexauer to hit a hard grounder to the shortstop, who attempted to get the force out at second, but a wild throw scored Darwin, placing CMU in front 1-0.
After the first six batters were retired for the Chippewas, they got their first hit of the game in the bottom of the third with a Rachael Hensel singled up the middle. A fielder's choice allowed OU to get the lead runner at second for the first out of the inning. Cory DeLamielleure recorded her first hit since facing No. 20 Michigan, placing runners on first and second. The home team could not advance them however, and after three innings the score remained unchanged.
In the bottom of the fifth the Chippewas struck again, following a double down the left field line by Molly Coldren which allowed Macy Merchant to score from second. Gilson followed Coldren with a hit to the second baseman that she had slip between her legs scoring another Chippewa. The Maroon and Gold did, however, leave the bases loaded as they took a 3-0 lead into the top of the sixth.
OU was able to get a run across in the top of the seventh following a double to left which allowed the leadoff batter, who walked, to score. Kara Dornbos got the next batter to fly out to left field and followed up with her only two strikeouts of the game sealing the CMU win.
Seven different Chippewas recorded hits as Coldren and Gilson each recorded a RBI.
Dornbos (10-14) threw all seven innings holding OU to one run on three hits.
Kaylin Clarke (5-6) suffered the loss in the circle spotting CMU three runs, one of which was earned, on six hits. Lauren McClary, the starter from game one, came on in the fifth and held the Maroon and Gold to only one hit.
