CMU softball rallies to sweep Toledo in doubleheader
Utility player Caitlyn Britton celebrates with her teamates after hitting a game tying home run on Friday, March 25 at Margo Jonker Stadium.
GENERAL: The Central Michigan softball team won both of their games in a doubleheader against the Ball State Cardinals on Friday, March 25 at Margo Jonker Stadium. These wins take the Chippewas overall record to 13-12 on the season.
After dominating Tuesday, Central Michigan (20-19, 11-6) rallied to complete a sweep over the Toledo Rockets (9-31, 2-16) with a 10-2 comeback mercy victory in the first game and a 6-3 comeback win to end Wednesday's sweep.
"Trusting our process that was the big thing," said assistant coach Sara Driesenga, "Just being patient and trusting them and that we're good enough to get it done and score that amount of runs"
Abbey Tolmie led the offense with four hits going 3 for 3 in the final game of the doubleheader.
Caitlyn Britton recorded three RBI's to help secure Chippewa victory.
Game One
Three Chippewa homers led to a 10-2 victory in game two of a three game series against the Toledo Rockets.
After a loss in game one of the series, Toledo set the tone early taking an early 1-0 lead in the second inning.
The Chippewas were quick to answer in the second half of the inning with a lead off solo shot to left field from Kelsey Alexander to tie the game at one. Taking advantage of an Toledo error, Michaleigh Vallimont knocked in Tolmie to take a 2-1 lead. Caitlyn Britton earned her 32nd RBI of the season scoring Shannon Stein extending the Chippewas lead 3-1.
Kaitlyn Bean took the mound for the Chippewas. She pitched six innings, striking out five batters while only allowing seven hits and two runs. Bean improves to 6-8 on the season.
The bats were quiet until Toledo's Jenna Kroll leadoff the fourth inning with a solo shot to left field to make the score a close 3-2.
CMU got rolling in the fourth inning, stacking five runs. Maddie Springer would get her first hit of the series with a single to right field. Tolmie followed with a single to the opposite field and Shannon Stein walked to load the bases. Vallimont drove in two runs with a single up the middle to score Springer and Tolmie and Skylar Coberley would add to the lead with a three-run shot to center field.
After a Toledo pitching change, Emily Bracamonte sent a solo shot to to left field, making the score 9-2. Bean would keep the Rockets off the scoreboard in the sixth inning.
One run away from the mercy rule Stein stepped up to plate. Taking care of business and hitting the 30th home run of her career, she ended the game via the run rule.
Game Two
Once again looking to set the tone, the Rockets would take the lead in second inning with a leadoff solo shot by Aubrey Reed to make it 1-0. Aleah Marra would add onto the Rockets lead with a sacrifice fly to score Sydney Griffith and make it 2-0.
Jenna Kroll would extend the Rockets lead 3-0 in the third with an RBI single to score lead off hitter Anna Dixon who reached on an single to left field.
The Chippewas bats would finally fire up in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff double to right field from Vallimont. Britton added another RBI to her belt with an double to the center field wall scoring Vallimont and cutting the lead to 3-1. An error by the Rockets scored pinch runner Tessa Nuss before Bracamonte tied the game with a double.
Grace Lehto took the mound for the Chippewas pitching all seven innings. She struck out four batters, walked two, and allowed three runs on five hits. Getting the win Lehto improves to 11-9 on the season.
A leadoff double to the right field wall from Tolmie would start a Chippewa rally in the fifth. A double from Vallimont to center scores Tolmie and gives the Chippewas their first lead of the game with a score of 4-3. Britton drove in another run with a single, and Tolmie doubled to score Sammi Mills an inning later for the decisive sixth run.
Up Next
The Chippewas travel to Kalamazoo to take on the Western Michigan Broncos. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
