Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northern Colorado
Softball Erases Early Deficit, Defeats Bears, 6-4
3/19/2010 4:27:54 PM | Softball
EMU fell behind early, but used a three-run home run by Jenny Scherer to get back in and eventually win
Box Score
COLUMBIA, Mo. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University softball team overcame an early deficit to defeat the University of Northern Colorado Bears, 6-4, in the opening game of the DeMarini Invitational hosted by Missouri at University Field Friday, March 19. The Eagles improve their record to 6-9 on the season while UNC falls to 7-17.
Freshman pitcher Jenna Ignowski found herself in an early 3-0 hole after allowing two runs in the first, one of which was unearned as the leadoff hitter reached on an Eagle miscue. Errors were another facet of the game overcome by EMU as the defense committed six of them on the day.
The Bears added another run in the second before the Eagles finally came to life with a three-spot in the fourth. Three consecutive hits by the Green and White was capped off by a Jenny Scherer three-run home run to catapult the Eagles into a 3-3 tie. Momentum continued to build as EMU scored in each of the final four innings of the game.
It took a 5-3 lead in the sixth on an error by the Northern Colorado first baseman as Lauren Delapaz came into score from third. She pinch ran for Allison Scherer who led off the inning with a key double to right center. After the Bears pulled to within one with a run in the bottom half of the sixth, the Eagles added some much-needed insurance with an answer of their own in the seventh. Three straight singles by McKenna Russ, Jessica Richards and Stacie Skodinski loaded the bases before Russ scored on a subsequent wild pitch to add the sixth and final tally of a 6-4 victory.
Skodinski went 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and a run scored. It was her first career four-hit game and the fifth time in her career that she has recorded a perfect day at the plate. Jenny Scherer's fourth inning three-run home run was the 40th career long ball for the senior and her fourth of the season.
Ignowski (3-4) went the distance in earning her third win of the season. She allowed four runs (1 earned) on four hits while striking out four and walking five. The Niles, Mich. native pitched out of trouble on several occasions, most notably in the sixth, pitching out of a bases loaded jam with just one out and getting out of harm's way by allowing just a run. The Bears left 10 runners on base to the Eagles' five.
EMU will face Northwestern at 1 p.m. in the second game of its Friday doubleheader at the DeMarini Invitational.
