Sensational Senior Softball Swan Song

Sunday, May 16

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

12 p.m.

Central Michigan University

20-28, 0

Ohio

21-26, 0

Ohio

Central Michigan

CMU's Kelsey Alexander (6) greets senior Morgan Gardner after Gardner scored the winning run on Sunday at Margo Jonker Stadium.

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

5/16/2021 6:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Chippewas rally, beat Ohio in 8 innings

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Fitting that on Senior Day, the seniors delivered in the clutch for the Central Michigan softball team.

Shaidan Knapp's two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning brought home Morgan Gardner with the winning run as the Chippewas overcame a 6-1 deficit to top Ohio, 8-7, in the season finale at Margo Jonker Stadium.

It was another senior, Tala Dean, who put the Chippewas in position to win when she hit a dramatic solo homer with two out in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, 7-7.

"I don't think we could have written it any other way," CMU coach McCall Salmon said. "I'm just so proud of them. They've been through so much all year. We've been thrown so many different obstacles and had to overcome adversity in so many different ways. Today validated all the hard work they've put in all year and they deserved everything they got today.

"They just stayed calm, patient and kept their energy high, and it's always nice when you can see those seniors go out on a high note. They definitely left their mark and a legacy for those who will play after them."

Freshman Grace Lehto came out of the bullpen in relief of starter Cloe Mallory and shut the door to give the Chippewas a chance to come back.

Lehto (11-10) allowed one run on four hits and struck out five over 6 1/3 innings. She came on with two out in the second inning and the Chippewas trailing, 6-1, and promptly retired the first 10 batters she faced.

"She was locked in," Salmon said of Lehto. "Not only in the circle, but in the dugout with her energy and how much she was hyping us up. She was giving it everything she had. Her progression throughout the year shows. She stood in there in a couple of pressure situations the last couple of innings and let her defense work and worked out of it. Proud of her to finish it out."

The Chippewas tied the game, 6-6, with two runs in the second inning and three in the third. Ohio regained the lead, 7-6, on Mikenzie Vaughn's sixth-inning homer. It was the first hit that Lehto allowed.

Lehto then pitched out of two-on, one-out jams in both the seventh and eighth innings.

Dean's homer, a no-doubter over the left-center field fence, was her second of the season and the sixth of her career.

"Storybook," Salmon said. "Comes up, two outs, and delivers. Tala's just a very cool cat and that just played into her mentality. It was an unbelievable moment for the team and for her."

Leadoff hitter Abbey Tolmie finished with three hits to lead CMU's 13-hit attack; Dean, Gardner, Knapp and Skylar Coberley had two hits apiece.

The win was CMU's third consecutive as it took the series, three games to one. The Chippewas went 16-9 in their final 25 games and won nine of their final 11 on the season. They finished 20-28 overall, 18-20 MAC in Salmon's first full season in charge of the storied program.

"That game felt like we had just won a championship," Salmon said. "We challenged the underclassmen and said, 'You know what this feels like.'

"We've got to work harder moving into next season and get better in certain areas so that we can get to the point that next year at this time we're competing for a championship. I think it's an excellent way for the seniors to seal the deal on their legacy and turn it over to the underclassmen. They saw the joy and how awesome of a moment it was for (the seniors) and they're going to want to do that too.

"I'm excited about how everything ended and looking forward to moving forward this summer and next fall. We've definitely grown and improved, and I think the future of Central Michigan softball is bright."