Late Rally Unable to Lift Eagles Over CMU

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University softball team was unable to secure its first Mid-American Conference victory, falling to West division foe Central Michigan in its first true home game of the 2014 campaign.

With the loss, the Eagles fall to 9-23 overall and 0-5 in MAC play. Meanwhile, Central improves to 21-10 overall and 2-1 in conference contests.

Sophomore Aoife Duffy led the EMU offense with a three-run home run, while Amanda Stanton and Abby Davidson each tallied three hits for the Eagles and Michelle Kriegshauser added two.

The Chippewas loaded the bases in the top of the second and used a two-out single through the left side of the infield to bring in two runs and take the early 2-0 lead over the Green and White, forcing Head Coach Melissa Gentile to put Lindsay Rich on in relief of Alyssa Huntley.

Central Michigan extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third inning when Cory DeLamielleure launched a leadoff home run over the right center fence.

The Eagles had a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth when Katy Wyman ripped a single to center field before Jenn Lucas extended her hitting streak to nine games with a hard hit double to the left center wall. Continuing the two-out rally, Duffy knocked her first home run of the season over the right field fence to knot the score at 3-3.

CMU responded in the top half of the fifth inning with a three-run round tripper of its own when Carol Ann Sexauer drove her fourth homer of the season dead over the center field fence to give Central the 6-3 advantage over Eastern.

The Green and White started another two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning when three-straight singles loaded the bases for EMU. With bases juiced, Wyman drew a full count walk off of relief pitcher Rachael Knapp to bring the Eagles within two of the Chips, but Knapp came back with a strikeout before any further damage was done.

Central continued to build on its lead in the top of the sixth tacking on three runs on three hits to take the 9-4 advantage heading into the bottom half of the inning.

With three outs left to play with, Eastern used three-straight hits, including two doubles to come within three of the Chippewas with no out on the scoreboard. Stanton drove a high triple to the right center fence, scoring Kriegshauser and bringing the score to 9-7, still in favor of CMU. Knapp settled down after a meeting in the circle to retire three-straight EMU batters and earn the 9-7 victory.

Coming in on relief, Rich (4-12) suffered the loss in the circle, throwing 3.1 innings and allowing four runs, while Huntley hurled 2.2 innings and Lauren Wells pitched one full inning.

Eastern will have a rematch against the Chippewas Sunday, April 6 at Varsity Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

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Team Stats

Abby Davidson

Amanda Stanton

Michelle Kriegshauser

Lindsay Smith

Eastern Michigan Athletics