YPSILANTI, Mich. (3/29/16) – The University of Detroit Mercy softball team split a pair of one-run games against in-state foe Eastern Michigan on Tuesday afternoon from Varsity Field in Ypsilanti, Mich.
The Titans (7-25, 0-3 HL) outlasted the hosts in a 10-inning thriller in the opener and picked up a 5-4 win on a game-winning RBI single from sophomore
Savvy Ferstle. In another tight one, the Eagles (12-17, 2-1 MAC) held off a Titan rally and edged UDM, 4-3, in the nightcap.
Senior
Christa McGahuey launched her second homerun of the spring in the opener. The long ball was the 21
st of her career, the second-highest total in program history. McGahuey is now just five homers shy of the all-time Detroit record of 26 held by Kaliegh Rafter.
Senior
Jennifer Cottle and junior
Alyssa James each picked up four hits on the day,. Cottle's four hits included a double, run scored and two RBI, while James added two doubles and a run scored to highlight the offensive output for UDM.
GAME ONE: DETROIT 5 – EASTERN MICHIGAN 4 (10 INN.)McGahuey gave the Titans an early lead with a two out, two-run blast in the top of the first to straightaway center. Detroit added runs in the second and third inning, but the Eagles answered with a run in each frame to stay within striking distance down 4-3.
Eastern Michigan evened the score in the fifth with a two-out double down the left field line, before both defenses clamped down to send the game into extras.
After four scoreless innings, the Titans broke the tie with a run in the top of the 10
th inning.
Cheyenne Willeford smacked a one-out offering down the left field line for a double and after a pop out, Ferstle smoked a two-out RBI single to centerfield to bring around Willeford for the game-winning run.
The Titans picked up 13 hits in the win, led by
Alyssa James' 3-for-4 effort with a pair of doubles and run scored. Cottle,
Katy Severson, Willeford and Ferstle recorded multiple hits as well. Cottle went 2-for-5 with a double and run scored, Severson went 2-for-4 with a RBI and Willeford went 2-for-5 with a run scored and a walk. Ferstle was 2-for-6 with a run and RBI and McGahuey went 1-for-5 with a walk, homerun and two RBI.
McGahuey threw five strong innings from the circle, allowing just one run on three hits. Freshman
Ashley Mauser (4-8) appeared in relief and picked up the win after tossing three scoreless innings.
GAME TWO: EASTERN MICHIGAN 4 – DETROIT 3In the nightcap, Detroit again took an early lead as a leadoff double by McGahuey and RBI single by Cottle put the visitors up 1-0 after two. Eastern Michigan roared back with a three-run third inning that was capped off with a two-out two RBI double down the chalk.
The Eagles capitalized on a Titan error in the bottom of the fourth to scratch another run across, before Cottle answered again for Detroit in the fifth. Cottle's one-out RBI single to center cut the Eagles lead to two, before back-to-back strikeouts stranded Cottle on second.
Trailing 4-2 in the seventh, the Titans manufactured a run to close the gap to just one run, but a pair of groundouts bailed EMU out of the jam as the Eagles edged Detroit, 4-3.
Cottle went 2-for-3 with two RBI to pace the offense, while James, McGahuey and Ferstle each added hits in the defeat.
Junior
Alexis Robison-Kohrs pitched well, but was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in six innings of work. Robison-Kohrs induced 14 groundouts in the hard luck loss.
ON DECKThe Titans return to Horizon League play in their home opening series against Wright State this weekend. Detroit hosts the Raiders in a three-game set that starts Friday, April 1 at 3 p.m. from Buysse Ballpark. The pair concludes the series with a doubleheader Saturday that is slated for a 12 p.m. start. Free Detroit softball posters will be given away at Friday's game, while mini bats will be given away at Saturday's contests.
