MOUNT PLEASANT - A late Central Michigan rally came up a run short on Wednesday afternoon, as the Chippewas fell to Oakland University in a mid-week non-conference matchup 3-2.
The Chippewas had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning with just one out, but they were unable to score the game-tying run off of Oakland’s Sydney Campbell.
Campbell had held the Chippewas’ offense at bay through the first six innings. She pitched the complete game, striking out 11 to earn the victory. Grace Lehto suffered the tough-luck loss for CMU, allowing just one earned run over 6.2 innings of work.
Both teams had early scoring chances in the game. Oakland loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first inning, but Lehto was able to get a couple of solid defensive plays behind her to keep the Golden Grizzlies off of the scoreboard.
The Chippewas loaded the bases in the third inning with no outs as well, but they could not scratch a run across either.
Oakland got on the board in the fifth inning, when Maci Brown was able to score from third on a wild pitch.
It stayed a 1-0 game into the seventh inning, when the Golden Grizzlies tacked on two crucial insurance runs with a pair of RBI doubles by Jen Krizka and Taylor Carraway.
The Chippewas made things interesting in their last at bats, loading the bases with just one out. Carly Sleeman then ripped an RBI double down the left field line, scoring two runs and pulling Central within a run, with the game-tying and game-winning runs in scoring position. Campbell was able to escape by ringing up two strikeouts to end the threat.
Central Michigan travels to take on Ohio University for a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend.