Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Chippewas Sweep Falcons With Two Shutouts
March 29, 2003 | Softball
March 29, 2003
Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Host Central Michigan University used solid pitching and timely hitting to sweep a pair of games from the Bowling Green State University softball team Saturday afternoon (March 29). The Chippewas captured the Mid-American Conference games by scores of 4-0 and 6-0 at a frigid CMU Softball Complex.
With the victories, CMU improves to 14-8 overall and 7-1 in MAC play this season, while the Falcons drop to 9-16-1 and 0-4, respectively.
In the first game, Jenni Rasmussen fired a three-hit shutout and Michelle Brander drove in three of the Chippewas' four runs. In the nightcap, Amber Puchalski had a shutout of her own, allowing only two hits, while Christin Sobeck homered and had four RBI.
The Falcons threatened, but could not score in the early going of the first game. BGSU left a pair of runners on base in both the first and second innings. In the first, freshman Lindsay Heimrich was hit by a pitch to start the game, and senior Libby Voshell drew a one-out walk. But, Rasmussen got an inning-ending groundout with runners on first and third.
In the second inning, junior Candace Fenton drew a one-out walk that was followed by a sharp single from sopnomore Stephanie Finkel. A groundout advanced the runners to second and third, but Rasmussen got another grounder to end the inning.
CMU had gotten on the board in the first inning, as Brittany Decker tripled into the right-field corner, and scored on Brander's squeeze bunt.
Central scored two more runs with two outs in the third inning. Brander's two-run double scored both Karen Hohs and Decker.
The Chippewas got another run in the sixth on a BGSU throwing error to close the scoring.
Rasmussen, as mentioned, allowed just three hits to improve to 5-3 on the year. She walked two batters and struck out five. Freshman Liz Vrabel suffered the loss for BGSU, allowing five hits and three earned runs. Vrabel struck out six Chippewa batters and issued three walks in dropping to 6-5.
In the second game, CMU scored all six runs in the first two innings, staking Puchalski to an early lead. The hosts scored four times in the first frame, with Sobeck's single scoring two teammates. A Falcon error led to two of the four runs being unearned.
With two outs in the second, Karly McCormack doubled, and Sobeck followed with a homer to left off senior McKenna Houle.
BGSU's only baserunners came on Voshell's first-inning walk and fourth-inning single, and a single by senior Crystal Wilson in the fifth. Wilson, who moved as far as second after a wild pitch, was the lone runner to advance past first base in the game.
Puchalski's shutout was the 25th of her career. She had 10 strikeouts, and now ranks fourth in MAC history with 632 in her career. She walked only one batter in improving to 8-3.
Houle, now 0-6 on the year, allowed five hits and six runs (four earned) in an inning and two thirds. She walked two batters and fanned one.
A bright spot for Falcon fans was the relief pitching of junior Jody Johnson. The allowed only two hits in four-and-a-third scoreless innings, walking three batters and recording one strikeout.
For the Chippewas, Sobeck and Brander each had two of the team's seven hits. Sobeck scored two runs in the win.
The Falcons and Chippewas are scheduled to complete the three-game series with a Sunday (March 30) contest at the CMU Softball Complex. Start time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
