ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn softball team swept Cornerstone University in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference doubleheader on Senior Day Saturday at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Wolverines took an early 11-1 lead in game one before holding on for a 14-10 victory. The Golden Eagles rallied to tie the scores at 3-3 in the finale, setting the stage for Amber Cheplick to come through with the walk-off hit for the Wolverines in the eighth.
The sweep pushes UM-Dearborn to 17-14-1 overall and 7-8-1 in the WHAC.
Following the opening game, four UM-Dearborn student-athletes were recognized in a Senior Day ceremony. The seniors honored included Julie St. John, Sarah Prashad, Rachel Clem, and Leah Oldham.
In game one, the Wolverines jumped out in front with four runs in the first and five in the second. After two unearned runs in the first, Makenna Millhorn and Amy Jarrett each added an RBI. Madelin Skene added a three-run home run in the second, while Millhorn hit the first home run of her career to put the Wolverines in front by 10 runs in the third.
The Golden Eagles were down to their last strike in the fifth inning but rallied with six runs in the inning to cut the UM-Dearborn lead to four. Up one in the sixth, the Wolverines got some insurance on a three-run double from Clem to pull away.
St. John got the win, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs, five earned, on seven hits, while walking four and striking out two. Ashlynn Henderson got the save, pitching two innings of relief.
Skene led the Wolverines offense with three hits, three runs, and four RBIs, while Liz Grumeretz added three hits. Prashad recorded two hits and two runs scored, while Clem finished with four RBIs.
The Wolverines took the early lead in game two, scoring an unearned run in the second and adding two RBIs from Oldham and Jarrett in the third. The Golden Eagles tied the game in the sixth to force extra innings.
UM-Dearborn loaded the bases in the eighth and Cheplick singled to right field to score the winning run.
Jarrett paced the offense with three hits, a run scored and an RBI, while Millhorn added two hits. Henderson got the start on the mound, throwing five innings, allowing three runs, none earned on three hits, while walking two and striking out three. Skene got the win in relief with three scoreless innings.
The doubleheader scheduled for Sunday against Aquinas College has been postponed due to forecasted inclement weather. The Wolverines return to action against Indiana Tech at 3:30 pm Wednesday at Wayne State University in Detroit.
