Sunday, April 2
DeKalb, Ill.
1 p.m. (ET)
Central Michigan University
13-17, 3-4
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NIU
15-15, 6-4
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Photo by: Tom Knapp
Springer's Ninth Inning Double Propels Chippewas to Double Victory Over NIU
4/2/2023 7:41:00 PM | Softball
DeKalb, Ill. – The Central Michigan softball team bounced back on Sunday to take the series victory over Northern Illinois. Central Michigan won in a 5-3 decision in the first game, which went nine innings and won the second game 13-2 in five innings.
The Chippewas advance to 14-17 on the season and 4-4 in MAC play, while the Huskies fall to 15-16 overall and 6-5 in the MAC.
Here is how it happened:
Game 1
The bats came out hot from the beginning for the Chippewas, but in the third inning they plated their first two runs. Emily Bracamonte started the inning when she reached on a walk and was advanced to third with a Samantha Mills double to left center. Bracamonte was driven home when Abbey Tolmie singled to right center giving CMU the 1-0 advantage. Mills scored to increase the lead when Tolmie got caught in a pickle, but Mills crossed the plate.
Northern Illinois answered in the bottom half of the fourth when they evened the score at two all.
In the bottom half of the seventh inning, Grace Lehto struck out the third out with the bases loaded to send the game into extra innings.
Peighton Root pinch hit for Allyssa Hollo to start the ninth & striped a ball down the left field line to record a lead off double. Coberley followed that at bat with a walk. Maddie Springer doubled to left center and plated Root & Coberley to give CMU the 4-3 advantage. Capping off the inning, Springer scored on a pass ball bringing the score to 5-3 in favor of the Maroon & Gold.
Fourth year Head Coach McCall Salmon was happy with her teams' performance and mentality after yesterdays' tough loss. "All out clutch performances at the plate. Huge leadoff double from Peighton followed by a quality at bat from Coberley and Springer continued to stay hot and gave us the spark we needed to take the lead and ultimately hold on and get the win."
Lehto went the distance for the Chippewas bringing her season record to 5-8, striking out 10 in the outing and allowing nine hits. "I think Grace's mind was powering her body in the seventh and eighth inning. Great composure and a giddy performance gave us the outs we needed when NIU had runners in scoring position."
Game 2
The first inning sparked the Chippewa offense right away, yet again. Kelsey Alexander singled to left field and was driven home when Lucy Cronin singled to the same spot. In the second inning, Michaleigh Vallimont smashed a home run over both sets of fences at Mary M. Bell field to score Mills & Coberley making the score 4-0 Chippewas.
The Huskies answered with one run in the bottom of the second with a home run off the scoreboard.
In the third, Allyssa Hollo had a leadoff walk and was later brought home when Coberley collected her second hit of the game with a single up the middle. Bracamonte then singled and scored Springer who reached on a single of her own. That made the score 6-1, Chippewas. Coberley then came home on a throwing error by the catcher trying to throw her out ending the inning at 7-1.
In the fourth inning, Cronin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Vallimont came home. Coberley mimicked that and brought home Hollo in her at bat, 9-1 Chippewas. Bracamonte hit a sacrifice fly to score Cronin, and Mills hit a 2 RBI double off the left field fence. The final run of the game for the Chippewas came when Tolmie singled through the right side and Mills crossed home plate.
NIU would score one more in the outing on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to bring the final to 13-2 favoring Central Michigan.
"I feel like we had a really calm and confident mindsets at the plate, the girls were really attacking their pitch. I was proud of the adjustments the girls made from yesterday to find success against NIU's starting pitcher today."
Kaitlyn Bean went the distance in the five innings for the Chippewas, allowing only four hits and grabbing four strikeouts.
Coming up next:
The Chippewas will host the Ohio Bobcats next weekend, March 7th & 8th at Margo Jonker Stadium. March 7th is the 28th birthday of MJS & Margo Jonker will be throwing out the first pitch before the game!
The Chippewas advance to 14-17 on the season and 4-4 in MAC play, while the Huskies fall to 15-16 overall and 6-5 in the MAC.
Here is how it happened:
Game 1
The bats came out hot from the beginning for the Chippewas, but in the third inning they plated their first two runs. Emily Bracamonte started the inning when she reached on a walk and was advanced to third with a Samantha Mills double to left center. Bracamonte was driven home when Abbey Tolmie singled to right center giving CMU the 1-0 advantage. Mills scored to increase the lead when Tolmie got caught in a pickle, but Mills crossed the plate.
Northern Illinois answered in the bottom half of the fourth when they evened the score at two all.
In the bottom half of the seventh inning, Grace Lehto struck out the third out with the bases loaded to send the game into extra innings.
Peighton Root pinch hit for Allyssa Hollo to start the ninth & striped a ball down the left field line to record a lead off double. Coberley followed that at bat with a walk. Maddie Springer doubled to left center and plated Root & Coberley to give CMU the 4-3 advantage. Capping off the inning, Springer scored on a pass ball bringing the score to 5-3 in favor of the Maroon & Gold.
Fourth year Head Coach McCall Salmon was happy with her teams' performance and mentality after yesterdays' tough loss. "All out clutch performances at the plate. Huge leadoff double from Peighton followed by a quality at bat from Coberley and Springer continued to stay hot and gave us the spark we needed to take the lead and ultimately hold on and get the win."
Lehto went the distance for the Chippewas bringing her season record to 5-8, striking out 10 in the outing and allowing nine hits. "I think Grace's mind was powering her body in the seventh and eighth inning. Great composure and a giddy performance gave us the outs we needed when NIU had runners in scoring position."
Game 2
The first inning sparked the Chippewa offense right away, yet again. Kelsey Alexander singled to left field and was driven home when Lucy Cronin singled to the same spot. In the second inning, Michaleigh Vallimont smashed a home run over both sets of fences at Mary M. Bell field to score Mills & Coberley making the score 4-0 Chippewas.
The Huskies answered with one run in the bottom of the second with a home run off the scoreboard.
In the third, Allyssa Hollo had a leadoff walk and was later brought home when Coberley collected her second hit of the game with a single up the middle. Bracamonte then singled and scored Springer who reached on a single of her own. That made the score 6-1, Chippewas. Coberley then came home on a throwing error by the catcher trying to throw her out ending the inning at 7-1.
In the fourth inning, Cronin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Vallimont came home. Coberley mimicked that and brought home Hollo in her at bat, 9-1 Chippewas. Bracamonte hit a sacrifice fly to score Cronin, and Mills hit a 2 RBI double off the left field fence. The final run of the game for the Chippewas came when Tolmie singled through the right side and Mills crossed home plate.
NIU would score one more in the outing on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to bring the final to 13-2 favoring Central Michigan.
"I feel like we had a really calm and confident mindsets at the plate, the girls were really attacking their pitch. I was proud of the adjustments the girls made from yesterday to find success against NIU's starting pitcher today."
Kaitlyn Bean went the distance in the five innings for the Chippewas, allowing only four hits and grabbing four strikeouts.
Coming up next:
The Chippewas will host the Ohio Bobcats next weekend, March 7th & 8th at Margo Jonker Stadium. March 7th is the 28th birthday of MJS & Margo Jonker will be throwing out the first pitch before the game!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lehto, Grace (5-8)
L: STEWART (6-8)
Batting:
2B: Root, Peighton 1 ; Cronin, Lucy 1 ; Springer, Maddie 2 ; Mills, Samantha 1
RBI: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Springer, Maddie 2
SH: Alexander, Kelsey 1 ; Bracamonte, Emily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Root, Peighton 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Springer, Maddie 1 ; Bracamonte, Emily 1 ; Mills, Samantha 1
CS: Tolmie, Abbey 1
HBP: Vallimont, Michaleigh 3 ; Hollo, Allyssa 1
Batting:
2B: CONNER 1 ; MALLINDER 1 ; JAMES 1
RBI: MALLINDER 2 ; JAMES 1
SH: SHUMAKER 1
SF: SHUMAKER 1
Base Running:
RUNS: STEWART 1 ; CONNER 1 ; ERICKSON 1
SB: WALINSKI 1 ; GIESE 1 ; CRANE 1
HBP: SHUMAKER 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
IF/UTL
/ Softball
IF/UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
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