Softball's Seddon looks to fix location problems over weekend


The CMU softball team opens its home Mid-American Conference schedule this weekend.

The team takes on Akron on Friday and Ohio on Saturday and Sunday. After struggling with her location in her last three appearances, junior Kari Seddon said getting ahead in the count is a must for her this weekend.

“I’ve been having trouble spotting my pitches, so getting ahead and staying ahead is a big goal,” she said.

Seddon has walked 15 batters in her last 12 and 2/3 innings.

Against No. 2 Michigan on Wednesday, Seddon walked three of the first four batters to load the bases in the first inning, which led to a quick 2-0 lead for Michigan.

Akron is hitting .293 as a team on the season, second in the MAC, and has not scored fewer than three runs in all four of its MAC games.

“We talked about Akron being a very speedy, slapper-type hitting team, so I just need to hit my spots,” Seddon said.

Akron hitters have struck out just 128 times the entire season, the lowest amount in the MAC for a team.

Junior third baseman Alex Feltes is hitting .435 for the Zips, second in the conference. Feltes has help in the lineup with Krista Hensen and Alissa Birkhimer. Both are hitting better than .340 and have combined for six home runs on the season.

Akron has struggled with pitching at times, giving up more than four runs per game, but have three pitchers capable of starting.

Sophomore Andrea Arney has started the most games and pitched the most innings, but she also has the highest earned-run average (3.86).

Juniors Heather Bauer and Alex Reideman have combined for almost all the rest of the innings. Bauer is averaging 0.92 strikeouts per inning and Reideman has the lowest earned-run average of the three at 2.48.

OFFENSE

CMU (17-13 overall, 4-4 MAC) leads the MAC with a .297 team batting average and is second with 28 home runs.

Part of that offensive attack has been sophomore Ashley Gilson, third on the team with a .347 average and has been hitting .472 through MAC play.

“I’ve been really relaxed at the plate,” she said. “I’ve felt comfortable. My shoulders used to get tight, but I feel more loose now.”

Ohio rings a strong offensive team to Mount Pleasant this weekend as well.

The Bobcats sit fourth in the MAC hitting .260.

Three different Ohio hitters have an average better than .300, with senior Shalene Petrich leading the team with a .349 average.

Emily Wethington and Sara Clark are hitting for power in Ohio’s lineup, combining for nine home runs.

Ohio has used three pitchers as well this year for a majority of its innings. Wethington leads the team with the power at the plate and with strikeouts with 58 on the season.

Melissa Bonner has pitched the most innings for the Bobcats, but has a 4.08 ERA.

Caitlin Colvin has the lowest ERA with (2.62) and is holding hitters to a .218 average.

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