Softball: Final Series, And Then The MAC Tournament
5/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SETTING THE SCENE
The Central Michigan softball team will play its final regular-season series this weekend when it visits DeKalb, Ill., for a three-game Mid-American Conference set against Northern Illinois.
The Chippewas and Huskies are scheduled to open the series on Friday (7 p.m.) and close it with a doubleheader on Saturday (2 p.m.).
WHERE THEY STAND
CMU is 21-22, 11-8 MAC and in fourth place in the West Division. The Chippewas handed West-leading Toledo its first MAC series loss of the season last weekend, taking two of three from the Rockets in Mount Pleasant.
NIU is 18-29, 9-10 and 1 1/2 games back of the Chippewas in the West.
The top eight teams in the conference standings, regardless of division, advance to the MAC Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, May 9, in Akron. The Chippewas have clinched a spot in the tourney.
CMU NOTES
• As a team, the Chippewas are fourth in the league with a .288 battling average. The CMU pitching staff holds a 3.03 earned run average, ranking fourth in the MAC.
• Erika Underwood is among the conference's top 10 hitters (.376) and also leads Central Michigan in home runs with eight.
• CMU pitcher Hanna Warren is third in the MAC with a 2.14 ERA. The Chippewas' Laura Vaccaro (3.53) and Taylor Weaver (3.59) also rank among the top 15.
• Lacy Tolfree, a senior outfielder, leads the league with 21 stolen bases.
SCOUTING
Jenny Van Geertry leads NIU and is third in the MAC with a .406 batting average.
NIU leads the conference for triples (18).
NIU pitchers Alex Frenz (2.67) and Mackenzie Bryant (2.81) rank eighth and ninth, respectively, in the MAC in ERA.
