After coming back from a three-run deficit the Eastern Michigan University softball team defeated Central Michigan University 5-4 Saturday, April 30.
With the win, the Eagles are now 23-12 (9-6 MAC), while CMU falls to a 9-8 mark in conference play (25-18 overall).
EMU posted nine hits on the night and had three players with multiple-hit performances.
McKenna Russ’ 3-4 outing at the plate paced the Eagles. She also turned in a home run, her 23rd this season. Jessica Richardson added two hits and two scores for the Eagles as freshman Kayla Kostich also recorded two hits, which included her second home run of the season.
Jenna Ignowski opened the game in the circle and lasted three-and-two-thirds innings before senior Jaclyn Caro took over. Caro earned the win to improve to 3-4 on the year, striking out
two and scattering two hits in 3.1 scoreless innings.
The Eagles were first to strike in the opening frame, taking an early 1-0 advantage. Richards
sparked the Eagles’ offense with a line drive ricocheting off the shortstop’s glove, tallying EMU’s first hit of the game. She moved into scoring position with a stolen base, allowing a sacrifice fly for Stacie Skodinski.
With Richards at third, Nellie Coquillard connected on another liner to dead center field
that gave Richards an opportunity to tag up and plate the go-ahead run. With the steal, Richards now has a .941 stolen base percentage, the best percentage of anyone in the MAC with more than seven attempts.
In the fourth, the Chippewas used the long ball to take a 2-1 advantage. Molly Coldren followed with a one-out double down the left field line and was later waved around on a slow rolling single to center field by Amanda Klosterman for CMU.
Caro was called in to take over the pitching, inheriting a two-out situation with a runner at second base in the bottom of the fourth. She forced the ground out, sending the Eagles into the fifth with a 2-run deficit.
CMU turned in another run in the fifth with two outs, but the Eagles bats came back with a three-hit sixth inning.
Sarah Gerber dug in at the plate to lead off the frame for the Eagles. With one swing of the bat, she cut the CMU lead to just two as she drove a 0-1 delivery out of the park. Courtney Nicholson reached after her sacrifice bunt attempt was tossed to second to catch Russ, bringing Kostich to the plate with one out and a runner on. She then tied the score at four with her second home run of the season.
To open the seventh inning, Richards walked and advanced to second on Skodinski’s sacrifice bunt. Gerber drew a two-out walk to place runners at first and second with Russ due up at the plate. Russ popped up to shallow left field, but windy conditions created trouble for the CMU defense as they dropped the potential third out. Richards scored on the play to give EMU a 5-4 lead, but Russ was out on the play in a run down to end the inning.
