April 12, 2005

DETROIT -- In Central Michigan University's trip to the Motor City on Tuesday, the Chippewa offensive was firing on all cylinders in a doubleheader sweep at the University of Detroit. CMU pounded out 25 hits on the afternoon while cruising to a 5-2 victory in game one followed by a 7-3 triumph in the nightcap.

Nine of the hits went for extra bases and the seven runs in game two tied a season high. CMU improves to 17-8 overall and the Titans fall to 10-14.

Most notable in the offensive explosion was sophomore Brittany Fulks who entered the game in a season-long slump with an 0-for-12 showing in 10 games. She went 5-for-6 on the day, including a 3-for-3 performance in the nightcap. Christin Sobeck also clubbed a solo homer in the finale to move into a tie for fourth on the CMU career home runs chart with 13.

Jill DeRoche pitched CMU to the victory in game one and freshman Amy Candioto notched the win in game two while Jessica Garvin saw relief time in both games, picking up the save in game two.

The Chippewas scored three times in the second inning of game one and Detroit got within one by posting two runs in the third. However, CMU shut the Titans out the rest of the way while adding single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Stephanie Crews notched an RBI single in the second followed by a Karen Hohs two-run double. Detroit used four hits in the third to score its two runs but Amy Hudson had an RBI groundout in the fifth and Chivon Kloepfer an RBI single in the sixth to complete CMU's scoring.

DeRoche was tapped for eight hits and the two runs before Garvin came on for the final two and two thirds innings. She struck out three and allowed just two hits. Titan reliever Lindsay Roy took the loss giving up all five runs (four earned) in five and two thirds innings.

Hohs finished 2-for-4 with a double, Kloepfer 3-for-4 with a double, Sobeck 2-for-4 with a double, Crews 2-for-3 and Fulks 2-for-3.

CMU had 12 hits in the nightcap and used a four-run fifth inning to break the game open. Detroit responded with three runs in the sixth that chased Candioto out of the circle.

Jacque Benedict doubled in Hohs in the first inning and Sobeck's solo homer came in the fourth. The Chippewas posted four runs in the fifth thanks to a triple by Hohs and a throwing error that allowed her to go all the way home, an RBI single by Hudson and a two-run double by Crews.

The final run in the seventh came on a sac fly by Kloepfer.

Candioto went the first five and a third innings giving up five hits and three runs, but only one was earned. Garvin then came on and closed the game earning the save, giving up just one hit and striking out three of the six batters she faced.

Hohs was 2-for-4 in the nightcap, Benedict 2-for-3, Sobeck 2-for-3 and Fulks 3-for-3.

The Chippewas now head to East Lansing for a single game against Michigan State on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. (Gametracker live stats will be available for the MSU game on cmuchippewas.com.)