Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Softball Falls At Central Michigan, 2-0
April 06, 2001 | Softball
April 6, 2001
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University softball team fell from the ranks of the Mid-American Conference unbeaten Friday (April 6), dropping a 2-0 decision to host Central Michigan University. The MAC game, the first of a three-game weekend series, was held at the CMU Softball Complex.
With the loss, BGSU is now 15-12 overall and 5-1 in MAC action. Central Michigan improves to 17-15 and 7-3, respectively.
The host Chippewas got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Becky Manson was hit by a pitch, and then stole second. Amy Morrison hit a double to right field, with Manson coming in to score. The Falcon defense gunned down Morrison trying to stretch the hit into a triple, to prevent further damage.
The Falcons' best threat off CMU freshman Amber Puchalski came in the fifth inning. Sophomore Libby Voshell, who had two of BGSU's four hits in the game, led off the inning by blasting a double to the base of the wall in right-center. The next batter, junior Holly Frantz, moved pinch-runner Liz Tuza to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Then, sophomore Kandice Machain reached on an infield single, but Tuza was forced to remain at third base.
Puchalski retired the next two batters, however, getting an infield pop-up and a groundout to end the inning.
The Chippewas, who defeated BGSU in the championship game of last year's MAC Tournament, tacked on an insurance run in the sixth. Jen Skuta hit a one-out double off Falcon starter McKenna Houle, and took third on a groundout. Then, Kim Burke singled up the middle to score Skuta. Puchalski retired the Falcons in the seventh to preserve her eighth shutout of the year.
The CMU hurler improved her record to 11-6 on the year with the complete-game win. Puchalski has not allowed a run in 27 consecutive innings of work.
Houle took the loss for BGSU, falling to 6-5 on the season. She allowed two runs and 10 hits in her five-and-two-thirds innings. Houle did not walk or strike out a batter. Freshman Freshman Jody Johnson retired the only Chippewa batter she faced.
Puchalski allowed four hits, issued one walk and fanned seven.
The teams are scheduled to meet again at the CMU Softball Complex Saturday (April 7), facing off in a doubleheader which begins at 1:00 p.m. The second game of that twinbill is scheduled for broadcast on CMU student station WMHW-FM 91.5. That game can be heard on the internet, through CMU's athletic web site (www.cmuchippewas.com).
