Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 29
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
18-28, 8-10
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Central Michigan
21-23-1, 8-9-1
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Eastern Michigan
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Central Michigan
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Photo by: Jonathan Knight Photography
Eagles Drop Heartbreaker to Central Michigan
4/29/2016 5:24:00 PM | Softball
Senior Abi Clark finished the day with three RBI's
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Returning to Mid-American Conference action, the Eastern Michigan University softball team traveled to Margo Jonker Stadium Friday, April 29, to take on West Division foe, Central Michigan University. The Eagles (18-28, 8-10 MAC) fought back to tie the game in the top of the seventh before the Chippewas (21-23-1, 8-9-1 MAC) walked off to hand the Green and White a 7-6 setback.
Senior Abi Clark (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton) and junior Michelle Kriegshauser (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln Way Central) provided the offense for the Eagles in the loss. Clark finished the day 1-for-3 with a season-high three RBI's, while Kriegshauser picked up a 2-for-3 effort to go along with two RBI's and two runs scored. Freshman Sam Saporito (Eastvale, Calif.-Eleanor Roosevelt) registered her third multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Making her second consecutive start, sophomore Trisha Trujillo (Whittier, Calif.-California) was left with her team in the lead after tossing five innings of three-run ball. Trujillo re-entered in the sixth with her team trailing, allowing four runs on seven hits, while striking out two in a total of 6.0 innings of work. Freshman Nicolle Miranda (Wilmington, Calif.-Port of Los Angeles) appeared briefly but was quickly touched up for three runs on two hits and was tagged with the loss.
The Eagles broke the game open with a two-run first inning, fueled by a leadoff single by Saporito. Reaching on a bunt single, Saporito swiped second to move into scoring position for Kriegshauser. Digging into the box, Kriegshauser cranked an RBI-double to the gap and traded places with Saporito. After moving to third on a groundout, Kriegshauser slid home safely on a wild pitch to put EMU in front, 2-0.
Central answered in its half of the frame, plating two runs on two hits. The Chippewas had an opportunity to add more to their run total, but Trujillo came back to end the inning with a strikeout.
The score stood even at two for the next two innings as each team stranded several on the base paths.
CMU took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth, on a solo home run to left.
Eastern needed just one hit to regain the lead in the fifth, taking advantage of a pair of walks issued by CMU. Freshman Olivia Logan (Riverview, Mich.-Riverview) drew a leadoff walk and was lifted for senior pinch runner Elaine Whitbeck (Holland, Mich.-West Ottawa). A sacrifice bunt and a groundout moved Whitbeck to third with Kriegshauser stepping to the plate. With Kriegshauser at the dish, the Chippewas elected to walk one of the conference's most dangerous hitters, bringing up Clark. Recording EMU's first hit since the opening inning, Clark made the Chips pay for the Kriegshauser walk, ripping a bases-clearing double to the fence in left center. Clark's two-run knock put EMU in front 4-2 through four and a half innings in the books.
The Chippewas responded, scoring three runs on three hits to take a 6-4 lead over the Green and White.
A quick sixth, in which Trujillo sent CMU down in order, made way for the Eagles' final turn at bat. Trailing by two, Eastern Michigan sent Logan, Saporito, and freshman Lucy Lopez (Ventura, Calif.-Stockdale) to the plate. Logan hit a single up the middle before Saporito reached base with her second bunt-single of the afternoon. Pinch hitting, Lopez went down swinging for the first out of the inning, turning things over to Kriegshauser. Battling to a full count, Kriegshauser's RBI single dropped in front of the CMU outfielder, scoring Logan. Clark kept things going, belting a deep fly out to left, allowing Saporito to tag and even the score at six. A fly out ended the Eagles' threat, stranding Kriegshauser on second.
In the bottom half of the inning, a leadoff single moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch before coming in to score on a walk-off single, handing the Eagles a 7-6 defeat.
The Eagles return to the diamond tomorrow, April 30, to close out the weekend set with the Chips. Saturday's twin bill is set to get underway at 1 p.m.
Senior Abi Clark (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton) and junior Michelle Kriegshauser (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln Way Central) provided the offense for the Eagles in the loss. Clark finished the day 1-for-3 with a season-high three RBI's, while Kriegshauser picked up a 2-for-3 effort to go along with two RBI's and two runs scored. Freshman Sam Saporito (Eastvale, Calif.-Eleanor Roosevelt) registered her third multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Making her second consecutive start, sophomore Trisha Trujillo (Whittier, Calif.-California) was left with her team in the lead after tossing five innings of three-run ball. Trujillo re-entered in the sixth with her team trailing, allowing four runs on seven hits, while striking out two in a total of 6.0 innings of work. Freshman Nicolle Miranda (Wilmington, Calif.-Port of Los Angeles) appeared briefly but was quickly touched up for three runs on two hits and was tagged with the loss.
The Eagles broke the game open with a two-run first inning, fueled by a leadoff single by Saporito. Reaching on a bunt single, Saporito swiped second to move into scoring position for Kriegshauser. Digging into the box, Kriegshauser cranked an RBI-double to the gap and traded places with Saporito. After moving to third on a groundout, Kriegshauser slid home safely on a wild pitch to put EMU in front, 2-0.
Central answered in its half of the frame, plating two runs on two hits. The Chippewas had an opportunity to add more to their run total, but Trujillo came back to end the inning with a strikeout.
The score stood even at two for the next two innings as each team stranded several on the base paths.
CMU took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth, on a solo home run to left.
Eastern needed just one hit to regain the lead in the fifth, taking advantage of a pair of walks issued by CMU. Freshman Olivia Logan (Riverview, Mich.-Riverview) drew a leadoff walk and was lifted for senior pinch runner Elaine Whitbeck (Holland, Mich.-West Ottawa). A sacrifice bunt and a groundout moved Whitbeck to third with Kriegshauser stepping to the plate. With Kriegshauser at the dish, the Chippewas elected to walk one of the conference's most dangerous hitters, bringing up Clark. Recording EMU's first hit since the opening inning, Clark made the Chips pay for the Kriegshauser walk, ripping a bases-clearing double to the fence in left center. Clark's two-run knock put EMU in front 4-2 through four and a half innings in the books.
The Chippewas responded, scoring three runs on three hits to take a 6-4 lead over the Green and White.
A quick sixth, in which Trujillo sent CMU down in order, made way for the Eagles' final turn at bat. Trailing by two, Eastern Michigan sent Logan, Saporito, and freshman Lucy Lopez (Ventura, Calif.-Stockdale) to the plate. Logan hit a single up the middle before Saporito reached base with her second bunt-single of the afternoon. Pinch hitting, Lopez went down swinging for the first out of the inning, turning things over to Kriegshauser. Battling to a full count, Kriegshauser's RBI single dropped in front of the CMU outfielder, scoring Logan. Clark kept things going, belting a deep fly out to left, allowing Saporito to tag and even the score at six. A fly out ended the Eagles' threat, stranding Kriegshauser on second.
In the bottom half of the inning, a leadoff single moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch before coming in to score on a walk-off single, handing the Eagles a 7-6 defeat.
The Eagles return to the diamond tomorrow, April 30, to close out the weekend set with the Chips. Saturday's twin bill is set to get underway at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Knapp, R. (12-12)
L: Miranda, Nicolle (8-16)
Batting:
2B: Kriegshauser, Michelle 1 ; Clark, Abi 1
RBI: Kriegshauser, Michelle 2 ; Clark, Abi 3
SH: Saporito, Sam 1
SF: Clark, Abi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Saporito, Sam 2 ; Kriegshauser, Michelle 2 ; Logan, Olivia 1 ; Whitbeck, Elaine 1
SB: Saporito, Sam 1
Batting:
HR: Vieira, R. 1
RBI: Rentschl, K. 3 ; DeLamiell, C 1 ; Vieira, R. 2
SH: Kalina, M. 1 ; Heath, S. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolfree, L. 1 ; Hansen, S. 1 ; Sexauer, C. 1 ; Kalina, M. 1 ; Streich, C. 1 ; Heath, S. 1 ; Vieira, R. 1
SB: Tolfree, L. 2 ; Hansen, S. 1
HBP: Tolfree, L. 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball1B/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF/C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballThank You, Team 38
Monday, May 07
Overcoming Adversity: A Lauren Holdsworth Feature
Saturday, February 24
Closing Out a Legacy: Michelle Kriegshauser
Thursday, May 18
EMU Softball Signs Alyssa Feiler
Saturday, March 25