Central Michigan University Athletics
Sunday, March 12
Minneapolis, Minn.
10 a.m.
Central Michigan University
10-12
8
vs
5
St. Thomas
6-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Central Michigan
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
3
8
14
0
St. Thomas
1
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
5
7
2
Photo by: Tom Knapp
Full Team Effort for Softball in 8-5 Comeback Win
3/12/2023 4:21:00 PM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Central Michigan battled through eight innings and ended its trip to Minnesota with a hard-fought 8-5 extra inning victory over St. Thomas. Central Michigan, which defeated St. Thomas for the second time, scored six unanswered runs to take the win.
Kaitlyn Bean started the game for the Chippewas and went for one and two-thirds innings. Madelyn Wallace entered in relief to finish the game. Wallace took the decision in the game as she entered with the Chippewas trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the second. Head coach McCall Salmon was excited with Wallace's performance for the Chippewas, "Wally answered the call today. I was proud of her ability to come in, keep us in the game and ultimately close the door for the win."
The Chippewas entered the second inning trailing 1-0 after a Tommie double scored their runner. CMU answered in the top half of the second when Maddie Springer doubled to left field and Angela Petrovitch scored tying the game at 1-1.
Following that, the Tommies scored three in the bottom half of the inning. Their runs came from an RBI walk, and a two RBI single.
The game was scoreless for the third, fourth and fifth innings, until each team scored one run in the sixth. Springer collected her second RBI of the day when Coberley scored on her single. A home run by a St. Thomas gave them the 5-2 lead heading into the final inning.
But Central Michigan's Michaleigh Vallimont singled to start the inning and the energy from the Chippewa dugout radiated more than normal from that point on. Kelsey Alexander then hit a two-run home run over the left fielders' head and brought the Chippewas to within one run in the final inning. That thrust of momentum was huge as Skylar Coberley hit her own home run to tie the game at 5-5. The Alexander and Coberley home runs were the second back-to-back set of round trippers for the Chippewas this weekend.
"Scoring in the sixth was a momentum spark for our offense heading into the seventh. Michaleigh, Kelsey and Skylar all had clutch plate appearances, and it was fun to see them get those big hits in high pressure situations."
The momentum created in the top of the seventh inning is what pushed the Chippewas to an ultimate victory in extra innings.
Wallace and the defense stranded two Tommies in the bottom half of the seventh and set the offense up for success in the eighth.
Caitlyn Britton pinch hit for Central Michigan to lead off the inning, and Springer was placed on second due to international tie-breaker rules.
Britton did what Britton does best and delivered when her team needed her. A two-run shot to deep right center gave the Chippewas a 7-5 lead. A great feeling, but not enough for the Chippewas to be satisfied. Abbey Tolmie scored the final run of the game when she crossed home on a wild pitch.
"Britton gave us a huge home run in the eighth that gave us the first lead of the game. It was great to see her get her first home run of the year and it could not have come at a better time."
With energy and momentum on their side, Wallace and the Chippewas sat the final three outs for the Tommies down to walk away with a victory.
Central Michigan concludes a 13-game road trip between The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla. and the five games in US Bank Stadium.
The sights now shift to recovery and getting ready for Mid-American Conference play. "Overall, I am just proud of Team 45. We had two tough losses yesterday and to see them fight back from behind and grind out the win was exceptional."
Next, the Chippewas will head to East Lansing where they will face Michigan State. That game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 at 5 p.m.
Kaitlyn Bean started the game for the Chippewas and went for one and two-thirds innings. Madelyn Wallace entered in relief to finish the game. Wallace took the decision in the game as she entered with the Chippewas trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the second. Head coach McCall Salmon was excited with Wallace's performance for the Chippewas, "Wally answered the call today. I was proud of her ability to come in, keep us in the game and ultimately close the door for the win."
The Chippewas entered the second inning trailing 1-0 after a Tommie double scored their runner. CMU answered in the top half of the second when Maddie Springer doubled to left field and Angela Petrovitch scored tying the game at 1-1.
Following that, the Tommies scored three in the bottom half of the inning. Their runs came from an RBI walk, and a two RBI single.
The game was scoreless for the third, fourth and fifth innings, until each team scored one run in the sixth. Springer collected her second RBI of the day when Coberley scored on her single. A home run by a St. Thomas gave them the 5-2 lead heading into the final inning.
But Central Michigan's Michaleigh Vallimont singled to start the inning and the energy from the Chippewa dugout radiated more than normal from that point on. Kelsey Alexander then hit a two-run home run over the left fielders' head and brought the Chippewas to within one run in the final inning. That thrust of momentum was huge as Skylar Coberley hit her own home run to tie the game at 5-5. The Alexander and Coberley home runs were the second back-to-back set of round trippers for the Chippewas this weekend.
"Scoring in the sixth was a momentum spark for our offense heading into the seventh. Michaleigh, Kelsey and Skylar all had clutch plate appearances, and it was fun to see them get those big hits in high pressure situations."
The momentum created in the top of the seventh inning is what pushed the Chippewas to an ultimate victory in extra innings.
Wallace and the defense stranded two Tommies in the bottom half of the seventh and set the offense up for success in the eighth.
Caitlyn Britton pinch hit for Central Michigan to lead off the inning, and Springer was placed on second due to international tie-breaker rules.
Britton did what Britton does best and delivered when her team needed her. A two-run shot to deep right center gave the Chippewas a 7-5 lead. A great feeling, but not enough for the Chippewas to be satisfied. Abbey Tolmie scored the final run of the game when she crossed home on a wild pitch.
"Britton gave us a huge home run in the eighth that gave us the first lead of the game. It was great to see her get her first home run of the year and it could not have come at a better time."
With energy and momentum on their side, Wallace and the Chippewas sat the final three outs for the Tommies down to walk away with a victory.
Central Michigan concludes a 13-game road trip between The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla. and the five games in US Bank Stadium.
The sights now shift to recovery and getting ready for Mid-American Conference play. "Overall, I am just proud of Team 45. We had two tough losses yesterday and to see them fight back from behind and grind out the win was exceptional."
Next, the Chippewas will head to East Lansing where they will face Michigan State. That game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 at 5 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wallace, Madelyn (4-2)
L: Isabelle True (5-3)
Batting:
2B: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 1 ; Hollo, Allyssa 1 ; Springer, Maddie 1
HR: Alexander, Kelsey 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Britton, Caitlyn 1
RBI: Alexander, Kelsey 2 ; Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Springer, Maddie 2 ; Britton, Caitlyn 2
SH: Cronin, Lucy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 1 ; Alexander, Kelsey 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 2 ; Petrovitch, Angela 1 ; Springer, Maddie 1 ; Britton, Caitlyn 1
SB: Springer, Maddie 1
HBP: Coberley, Skylar 1
Batting:
2B: Kaitlyn Raymond 1 ; Brooke Ellestad 1 ; Keira Murphy 1
HR: Kameron Monson 1
RBI: Kaitlyn Raymond 1 ; Brooke Ellestad 3 ; Kameron Monson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Avery Wukawitz 2 ; Keira Murphy 1 ; Kameron Monson 2
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
C/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
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