Softball takes split at Bowling Green in MAC opener
The Central Michigan Women's Softball Team comes together for a mound visit against Western Michigan April 2 at Margo Jonker Stadium.
Coming off of a pair of losses in Florida to South Dakota and Middle Tennessee State, the Chippewas' softball team traveled to Bowling Green, Ohio to open the Mid-American Conference schedule.
Although the weekend ended in a split across four games, the Chippewas had a strong weekend of both pitching and hitting.
Game one
Freshman Grace Lehto pitched the first two innings for the Chippewas, finishing with four strikeouts, five walks, six runs allowed, and four hits allowed out of 17 batters faced. Junior Kaitlyn Bean took over for the remaining innings, allowing three walks, two hits and two runs out of 11 batters faced.
The Chippewas struggled hitting against Bowling Green pitcher Peyton Gottshall, who finished the first game with zero runs allowed, zero hits allowed, three strikeouts and no walks, with an exception of one hit batter.
BGSU wasted no time finding a scoring opportunity with Madi McCoy scoring a two-run double in the bottom of the first, followed by a walk in run to finish the inning. Bowling Green did not score again until the bottom of the third when Maycee Godbolt knocked one out of the field for a solo home run to further solidify the Falcons' lead over the Chippewas, followed by three more RBIs.
Bowling Green's streak of scoring runs in each inning continued into the bottom of the fourth, securing an RBI off a single to secure the eighth run of the game. CMU could not find a scoring run in the top of the fifth, allowing Bowling Green to take a mercy victory over the Chippewas, 8-0.
Game two (DH)
Senior Cloe Mallory pitched five innings for the Chippewas, striking out eight of the 23 batters faced and allowing five runs.
Junior Faith Howe pitched the final two innings, striking out four of nine batters faced.
CMU turned the tables from Friday’s game immediately with sophomore Emily Bracamonte homering to left field, running freshman Abbey Tolmie in for a two-run lead over BGSU. A double from Bowling Green's Madi McCoy amounted two RBIs, followed by a homer to center field by Sophie Weber which ran another BGSU batter in. The Chippewas and Falcons closed the first inning with Bowling Green leading 4-2.
The Chippewas amounted three runs in the top of the third inning. Senior Morgan Gardner sent a homer to left field, sending in Bracamonte and freshman Tailynn Knapp. CMU scored again in the top of the fourth, thanks to a ground ball to third by freshman Michaleigh Vallimont which scored senior Abigail Niehaus.
Bowling Green did not score again until the bottom of the fifth with Madi McCoy's RBI single. CMU's Gardner singled to left field in the top of the sixth inning, driving Abbey Tolmie in. The Chippewas closed the game with two more runs in the seventh for a victory at 9-5.
Game three (DH)
The Chippewas and the Falcons picked up right where they left off after CMU's securing of the first game on Saturday.
BGSU opened the scoring with a homer to left field by Sarah Gonzalez in the third inning and was the only scorer on either team for the game, Bowling Green winning 1-0.
Kaitlyn Bean pitched all seven innings, amounting eight strikeouts and allowed only one run and six hits out of 25 batters faced.
Game four
In the weekend finale for the Falcons and the Chippewas, freshman pitcher Grace Lehto brought the heat. Lehto pitched all seven innings for CMU, picking up nine strikeouts for only two runs and six hits allowed out of 27 batters faced.
Neither team scored until the top of the fifth inning when senior Shaidan Knapp homered to left field, running sophomore Kelsey Alexander in for two RBIs. Bowling Green followed with a single RBI in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 2-1.
Sophomore Gisele Acuna hit a two-run single in the top of the sixth inning, allowing Tailynn Knapp and Stephanie Anderson to score. BGSU followed again with a one-run single for a 4-2 score, the Chippewas leading upon entering the final inning.
Freshman Abbey Tolmie singled through the right side of the field in the top of the seventh inning, running Shaidan Knapp in. A three-batter inning wiped out the bottom of the seventh for Bowling Green, and the Chippewas took the weekend split with a 5-2 victory.
Up next
The Chippewas kick off a four-game series against Miami (Ohio) at 3 p.m. March 26 in Miami Softball Stadium.
