Solid Pitching, Timely Hitting Lift Softball To Sweep Of Western

Wednesday, April 28

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

10-21, 8-13

Western Michigan

10-21, 6-11

Western Michigan

Central Michigan

Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22

Solid Pitching, Timely Hitting Lift Softball To Sweep Of Western

4/28/2021 8:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Solid pitching and timely hitting.

The Central Michigan softball team used both on Tuesday in sweeping Western Michigan, 7-1 and 7-2, in a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at Margo Jonker Stadium.

The Chippewas have won seven of their last nine games and are 11-21, 9-13 MAC.

In the opener, Cloe Mallory (2-3) allowed one run on five hits, struck out three, and walked two over four innings and Grace Lehto earned her first save by pitching the final three innings.

Kaitlyn Bean (1-6) collected the win in the nightcap, going five innings before giving way to Lehto who was again solid in closing out the game.

"One thing we focused on today coming in was being stronger in the circle overall as a staff," CMU coach McCall Salmon said. "(Mallory) gave us exactly what we needed and (Lehto) was strong coming in and finishing up that first game.

"And the same thing with Bean; she's been out with an injury and she came in and just settled in right away and gave us five good innings and worked herself out of a couple of jams. It was good to see her back in action.

"Overall, for our pitching staff, it was one of the best days they've had in a while."

The Chippewas and Broncos finished with the same number of hits in both games, seven in the first, nine in the second. CMU capitalized on its opportunities and drew a combined 13 walks, nine of which came in the opener.

"We were able to work the count and stay patient and we hit the ball solid," Salmon said.

Emily Bracamonte had two hits including a three-run double in the fifth inning of the opener. In the nightcap, Skylar Coberley smacked a three-run double as the Chippewas scored five runs to break a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning.

Abbey Tolmie and Shannon Stein had three hits apiece to lead CMU in game 2. Stein's RBI single in the fifth broke the tie.

Tolmie and Stein bat third and fourth, respectively, in the Chippewa order; Coberley bats eighth and Bracamonte hits from the No. 9 spot.

"They're showing their consistent progression," McCall said of her hitters. "From an offensive standpoint we're just trying to be on time and hit strikes. You stay consistent with that and you don't try to do too much, good things are going to happen.

"Across the board, one through nine, we're seeing them buying in and trusting the system. Any time the bottom of your lineup can produce for you and you can flip over to the top, good things are going to happen, and we saw that today."