Central Michigan University Athletics
Tuesday, April 19
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3 p.m.
Central Michigan University
17-19, 9-6
11
vs
4
Toledo
9-29, 2-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Toledo
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
4
7
5
Central Michigan
4
5
0
0
2
0
X
11
12
1
CMU sophomore Caitlyn Britton heads for home on her home-run trot in the first inning on Tuesday at Margo Jonker Stadium. Britton homered for the fourth consecutive game.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Early Homers Spark Softball To Series-Opening Win Over Toledo
4/19/2022 6:28:00 PM | Softball
Britton, Stein homer to lead 12-hit attack
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Shannon Stein and Caitlyn Britton each hit a two-run homer in the first inning and the Central Michigan softball team collected 12 hits on Tuesday in topping Toledo, 11-4, in a Mid-American Conference softball game at cold and windy Margo Jonker Stadium.
The Chippewas improved to 18-19, 9-6 MAC. The teams are scheduled to close the three-game series with a doubleheader on Wednesday (1 p.m.). Toledo is 9-29, 2-14.
It was the 12th homer of the season for Stein and the 11th for Britton as CMU jumped to a 4-0 lead after one inning. CMU batted around in the second, scoring five runs to increase its lead to 9-1 and give starter Grace Lehto plenty of cushion.
"I liked how we set the tone early, coming out and jumping on them," CMU coach McCall Salmon said. "In these types of conditions, (our hitters were) not trying to do too much and we were lucky to, in this wind, put a couple balls across the fence as well.
"I thought across the board, our hitters made adjustments well and did what we asked – swing at strikes and swing hard, and good things are going to happen."
The 12 hits marked a season high in a MAC game for the Chippewas. Leadoff hitter Abbey Tolmie had three hits including a double, while Stein and Britton finished with two hits apiece. Britton, who has homered in four consecutive games, finished with a season-high four RBI. She and Stein share the team lead with 31.
With her 12th homer, Stein moved into a tie for third place on the Chippewas' season home run list. She shares the No. 3 spot with Trista Cox, who hit 12 in 2014. Molly Coldren holds the top two spots with 16 in 2012 and 14 in 2011. Britton is now tied for fifth. Stein has 29 career homers, which ranks third in program history.
The game-time temperature was 40 degrees and the brisk westerly wind – blowing toward right field – made it feel much colder.
"I just think it comes down to mentally preparing," Salmon said. "We can't change or control the weather. I told them before the game that at Western Kentucky it was even colder and that prepared us for today. They've been there and fought through it, figured it out, and did what we had to do. I'm just proud of their fight overall."
Lehto (10-9) went the distance, striking out two, walking two, and allowing seven hits. She wasn't dominant, but she didn't need to be in working for much of the game with a big lead.
"We just need her to keep us in games and let our defense work," Salmon said. "She did what she had to help the team be successful today. It might not have been her best day from a movement and control standpoint, but she gave us everything she had every pitch."
The Chippewas improved to 18-19, 9-6 MAC. The teams are scheduled to close the three-game series with a doubleheader on Wednesday (1 p.m.). Toledo is 9-29, 2-14.
It was the 12th homer of the season for Stein and the 11th for Britton as CMU jumped to a 4-0 lead after one inning. CMU batted around in the second, scoring five runs to increase its lead to 9-1 and give starter Grace Lehto plenty of cushion.
"I liked how we set the tone early, coming out and jumping on them," CMU coach McCall Salmon said. "In these types of conditions, (our hitters were) not trying to do too much and we were lucky to, in this wind, put a couple balls across the fence as well.
"I thought across the board, our hitters made adjustments well and did what we asked – swing at strikes and swing hard, and good things are going to happen."
The 12 hits marked a season high in a MAC game for the Chippewas. Leadoff hitter Abbey Tolmie had three hits including a double, while Stein and Britton finished with two hits apiece. Britton, who has homered in four consecutive games, finished with a season-high four RBI. She and Stein share the team lead with 31.
With her 12th homer, Stein moved into a tie for third place on the Chippewas' season home run list. She shares the No. 3 spot with Trista Cox, who hit 12 in 2014. Molly Coldren holds the top two spots with 16 in 2012 and 14 in 2011. Britton is now tied for fifth. Stein has 29 career homers, which ranks third in program history.
The game-time temperature was 40 degrees and the brisk westerly wind – blowing toward right field – made it feel much colder.
"I just think it comes down to mentally preparing," Salmon said. "We can't change or control the weather. I told them before the game that at Western Kentucky it was even colder and that prepared us for today. They've been there and fought through it, figured it out, and did what we had to do. I'm just proud of their fight overall."
Lehto (10-9) went the distance, striking out two, walking two, and allowing seven hits. She wasn't dominant, but she didn't need to be in working for much of the game with a big lead.
"We just need her to keep us in games and let our defense work," Salmon said. "She did what she had to help the team be successful today. It might not have been her best day from a movement and control standpoint, but she gave us everything she had every pitch."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lehto, Grace (10-9)
L: KNIGHT (5-14)
Batting:
HR: AUBREYREED 1
RBI: AUBREYREED 3 ; GRIFFITH 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MCKEEVER 1 ; ERICKSON 1 ; AUBREYREED 2
HBP: DENNER 1
Batting:
2B: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Stein, Shannon 1 ; Britton, Caitlyn 1
HR: Stein, Shannon 1 ; Britton, Caitlyn 1
RBI: Stein, Shannon 2 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 1 ; Britton, Caitlyn 4 ; Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Alexander, Kelsey 1 ; Bracamonte, Emily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolmie, Abbey 3 ; Stein, Shannon 1 ; Knapp, Tailynn 1 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 1 ; Anderson, Stephanie 1 ; Britton, Caitlyn 2 ; Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Springer, Maddie 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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