A 2-0 lead for the Eastern Michigan softball team late in the first game of a weekend series with Central Michigan quickly disappeared, falling to the Chippewas 5-2 on the strength of two home runs late in the game.
After Chelsea DeLamielleure tied the game for the Chippewas (14-16, 4-3 MAC) in the sixth inning with a two-run home run, Katelyn Rentschler hit a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to drop the Eagles (9-23, 1-5 MAC) in the first of two weekend games.
EMU took the lead in the top of the first inning as catcher Taylor Wagner singled home right fielder Michelle Kriegshauser for the early 1-0 lead. The score would stand until the sixth inning when third baseman Abby Davidson also drove in Kriegshauser on a single to extend the lead to 2-0 late in the game.
After pitching a solid game, Lindsay Rich ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning. CMU short stop Trista Cox led off the inning with a triple before scoring on the DeLamielleure homer to tie the score at two.
The Eagles were almost able to force extra innings as Rich retired the first two Chippewa batters in the bottom of the seventh, but then issued a walk and a single before yielding the walk-off home run to Rentschler.
The Eagles will look avenge the loss to the Chippewas Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Mt. Pleasant.
