Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Falcons' Season Comes To An End With 3-0 Loss To CMU
May 09, 2003 | Softball
May 9, 2003
AKRON, Ohio - Central Michigan University's Amber Puchalski allowed just one hit and the Chippewas scored two unearned runs in the first inning en route to a 3-0 win over the Bowling Green State University softball team Friday evening (May 9). The Mid-American Conference Tournament game was held at Firestone Stadium.
With the win, CMU improved to 26-17 and stayed alive in the loser's bracket of the MAC Tournament. The Falcons see the 2003 season come to an end with a 26-26-1 record.
"We had a little too much adrenaline, especially at the start of the game," said Falcon head coach Leigh Ross-Shaw. "We were just trying too hard tonight.
"Sometimes, when you're trying to get something going, you try to do too much. We swung at a lot of bad pitches, and really helped Central out."
Central got all the runs Puchalski would need in the top of the first, scoring twice without benefit of a hit. With one out, Karen Hohs drew a walk, and Michelle Brander then hit a grounder right at Falcon second baseman Abby Habicht. Hohs, heading for second base, ran in front of Habicht and appeared to brush against the Falcon fielder just before the ball arrived. No interference call was forthcoming, however, and the ball rolled through into rightfield.
Hohs rounded second and headed for third, and the throw attempting to get her was wild, allowing her to score and Brander to advance all the way to third. Two errors were charged on the play, and the Chippewas had a 1-0 lead.
With the next batter, Christin Sobeck, at the plate, an errant pickoff throw toward third allowed Brander to score the game's second run. BGSU starting pitcher Liz Vrabel induced the Chippewas to hit four grounders in the inning, but one walk and three errors led to two runs.
The Falcons put together a threat in the bottom of the third inning. Habicht drew a leadoff walk, one of five issued by Puchalski in the game. Puchalski then got a strikeout of the next batter, but with senior Kandice Machain at the plate, a wild pitch sent pinch-runner Liz Tuza to second base. Then, Machain's blooper landed in shallow right-center for a single, BG's lone hit of the game. Tuza, who had to wait to make sure the ball would drop, advanced to third on the play.
But, Machain was caught stealing for the second out, and freshman Lindsay Heimrich hit a fly ball to center to end the inning.
The Chippewas, who had only one hit off Vrabel over the first three innings, got three consecutive singles to plate a run in the fourth. Aimee Smith, Karly McCormack and Sarah Hamilton each had hits to give Central a 3-0 lead.
That was more than enough support for Puchalski, who improved to 13-5 on the year. She walked five, as mentioned, and had six strikeouts in the win, Central's 29th consecutive victory over the Falcons dating to the 1994 season.
Vrabel pitched her third solid game of the MAC Tournament, allowing only one earned run and five hits in her six innings of work. She walked two batters and whiffed six, and ends her initial collegiate campaign with a 17-11 record and an earned-run average of just 1.12.
"Liz was unbelievable, again," said Ross-Shaw. "Not only is she a great pitcher, she's got such a great attitude. She will do whatever you ask of her. She did a fantastic job, tonight and all year long."
At the plate, Machain had the Falcons' lone hit, while senior Libby Voshell and junior Jenifer Kernahan each drew two walks in the contest.
For the Chippewas, Hamilton and Brittany Decker each went 2-for-3, with Decker getting the lone extra-base hit of the game, a seventh-inning double off junior Jody Johnson. Johnson worked the final inning, getting three ground-ball outs and allowing just the one hit.
The Falcons lose five fourth-year players from the 2002 squad in Machain, Tuza, Voshell, McKenna Houle and Crystal Wilson.
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