Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
2-4
Utah State
1-5
Chippewas Use Long Ball, Solid Defense In Taking 2
2/15/2019 5:35:00 PM | Softball
CMU hits 5 homers in downing Utah State, Illinois State
The Chippewas hit three round-trippers, each a solo shot in the sixth inning, in downing Utah State, 11-3.
Sophomore Tala Dean's pinch-hit fifth-inning three-run homer was the difference as the Chippewas closed the day with a 4-3 victory over Illinois State. It was Dean's first home run in a CMU uniform.
The Chippewas (3-4) are scheduled to play two games on Saturday in the Classic. They are slated to take on San Diego at 11 a.m., and then will face 14th-ranked Arizona State at 4 p.m. On Sunday (11 a.m.), the Chippewas close the event against fourth-ranked Florida.
GAME 1
The Chippewas pounded out a season-high 13 hits and played error-free defense in downing the Aggies.
CMU exploded for six runs in the first inning.
Erika Underwood, Stein and Sara Hansen each homered in the sixth for CMU. Stein's homer, with two out, gave the Chippewas an eight-run lead and ended the game on the run rule.
Hansen finished with three hits including a double, while Allison Curtis, Rachel Vieira and Morgan Gardner added two hits apiece. Shaidan Knapp also doubled.
Freshman Haley John went the distance for the win in her first collegiate appearance. She surrendered five hits, struck out three and walked two.
GAME 2
Illinois State outhit the Chippewas, 12-4, but stranded 10 baserunners. The Redbirds left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning when CMU reliever Cloe Mallory induced a game-ending popup.
Mallory (1-2), a sophomore, earned the win in relief of freshman Kaitlyn Bean. Mallory allowed one run on five hits over 3 1/3 innings. Bean surrendered two runs on seven hits and struck out two over 3 2/3 frames.
CMU did not commit an error in the game
The Chippewas used a single and an Illinois State error to put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dean blasted a one-ball, two-strike pitch over the left-field fence to put CMU in front, 4-2.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: John, Haley (1-0)
L: NIGHTINGALE, Chloe (0-2)
Batting:
HR: OROZCO, Lexi 1 ; HOLMES, Ryann 1
RBI: OROZCO, Lexi 2 ; HOLMES, Ryann 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SISUL, Hannah 1 ; OROZCO, Lexi 1 ; HOLMES, Ryann 1
HBP: BOLIN, Kenzie 1
Batting:
2B: Knapp, Shaidan 1 ; Curtis, Allison 1 ; Hansen, Sara 1
HR: Underwood, Erika 1 ; Stein, Shannon 1 ; Hansen, Sara 1
RBI: Curtis, Allison 2 ; Underwood, Erika 1 ; Stein, Shannon 1 ; Mills, Samantha 1 ; Gardner, Morgan 2 ; Hansen, Sara 2
SH: Noch, Kayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knapp, Shaidan 1 ; Curtis, Allison 1 ; Underwood, Erika 1 ; Perlberg, Andrea 1 ; Stein, Shannon 2 ; Vieira, Rachel 1 ; Mills, Samantha 1 ; Gardner, Morgan 1 ; Hansen, Sara 2
SB: Curtis, Allison 1 ; Vieira, Rachel 1
CS: Hansen, Sara 1
HBP: Underwood, Erika 1
