Tuesday, April 25
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3 p.m.
Central Michigan University
25-19, 15-6-0
4
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Bowling Green
8-34, 1-21-0
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7
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H
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Bowling Green
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Central Michigan
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X
4
6
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Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Softball Wins Ninth Straight, 4-0 Over Bowling Green
4/25/2023 5:52:00 PM | Softball
Grace Lehto blanks Bowling Green with one-hit complete game shutout, Chippewas score early, finish off victory in game one of three-game series.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Grace Lehto pitched a one-hit complete game shutout and Central Michigan jumped out to an early lead and finished off a 4-0 home softball win over Bowling Green Tuesday afternoon at Margo Jonker Stadium. The victory gave the Chippewas their ninth consecutive win as CMU improved to 25-19 overall and 15-6 in the Mid-American Conference. Bowling Green drops to 8-34 overall and 1-21 in the MAC.
Central Michigan and Bowling Green resume their mid-week series with a Wednesday doubleheader. First pitch is at 1 p.m. at Margo Jonker Stadium.
In seven innings of work, Lehto allowed just four baserunners, including one hit and three walks, while facing 26 batters and throwing 131 pitches. From the first inning until the fifth inning, Lehto retired 16 consecutive batters. The outing represents her 15th complete game and seventh shutout of the year. The junior from Eaton Rapids, Mich. improves to 12-10 on the year and won her sixth straight game.
Bowling Green's lone hit against Lehto came in the game's second at bat as Wynnie Reid singled to shortstop.
"What I love about Grace right now is that she may not have her best stuff but she gives us her best effort every single time she steps on the mound," Central Michigan Head Coach McCall Salmon said. "From the Buffalo game until now, our offense has her back. Today, she had to deal with a tighter strike zone. She stayed composed and worked through that first inning well."
"Pitching and defense wins championships. If we want to be at that next level, we have to continue to excel in those areas. I'm happy with how we're playing. Emily and Sky both made nice plays in the infield. Our defense was solid as well."
Central Michigan's offense manufactured six hits. Skylar Coberley led the Chippewas with two hits and two RBI, including the game-winner. Kelsey Alexander drove in one run on one hit and Lucy Cronin drove in the other run on a hit.
After Lehto prevented the Falcons from scoring in the top of the first inning, Central Michigan's offense went to work and built a 3-0 lead. Michaleigh Vallimont singled to right field and Alexander followed with a walk. Coberley drilled a two-out double to right field that scored both Vallimont and Alexander and CMU had a 2-0 lead. Cronin lined a single to left center that scored Coberley from second base and CMU led 3-0.
CMU added an insurance run and made it 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Callahan led off the inning with a single to center field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Tolmie. Callahan scored from second when Alexander drove a single up the middle.
That was all the Chippewas needed as Lehto was in a zone.
"It's just staying consistent with our mentality every day," Salmon said. "Our goal today was to go 1-0. Our goal tomorrow is to go 2-0. What we've accomplished in the past has given us the opportunity to have what's in front of us at this moment. Our approach doesn't change, we just have to stay mentally within ourselves and continue to work on winning the series against Bowling Green."
Sydney Stepp took the loss for Bowling Green after allowing six hits and four runs in 3.0 innings of work. Hannah Davies pitched the final three innings, striking out five batters and allowing no runs and no hits.
The Chippewas registered their 11th team shutout of the year.
Central Michigan's four runs scored this afternoon were more than the Chippewas had scored in each their last three games against Bowling Green.
Central Michigan and Bowling Green resume their mid-week series with a Wednesday doubleheader. First pitch is at 1 p.m. at Margo Jonker Stadium.
In seven innings of work, Lehto allowed just four baserunners, including one hit and three walks, while facing 26 batters and throwing 131 pitches. From the first inning until the fifth inning, Lehto retired 16 consecutive batters. The outing represents her 15th complete game and seventh shutout of the year. The junior from Eaton Rapids, Mich. improves to 12-10 on the year and won her sixth straight game.
Bowling Green's lone hit against Lehto came in the game's second at bat as Wynnie Reid singled to shortstop.
"What I love about Grace right now is that she may not have her best stuff but she gives us her best effort every single time she steps on the mound," Central Michigan Head Coach McCall Salmon said. "From the Buffalo game until now, our offense has her back. Today, she had to deal with a tighter strike zone. She stayed composed and worked through that first inning well."
"Pitching and defense wins championships. If we want to be at that next level, we have to continue to excel in those areas. I'm happy with how we're playing. Emily and Sky both made nice plays in the infield. Our defense was solid as well."
Central Michigan's offense manufactured six hits. Skylar Coberley led the Chippewas with two hits and two RBI, including the game-winner. Kelsey Alexander drove in one run on one hit and Lucy Cronin drove in the other run on a hit.
After Lehto prevented the Falcons from scoring in the top of the first inning, Central Michigan's offense went to work and built a 3-0 lead. Michaleigh Vallimont singled to right field and Alexander followed with a walk. Coberley drilled a two-out double to right field that scored both Vallimont and Alexander and CMU had a 2-0 lead. Cronin lined a single to left center that scored Coberley from second base and CMU led 3-0.
CMU added an insurance run and made it 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Callahan led off the inning with a single to center field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Tolmie. Callahan scored from second when Alexander drove a single up the middle.
That was all the Chippewas needed as Lehto was in a zone.
"It's just staying consistent with our mentality every day," Salmon said. "Our goal today was to go 1-0. Our goal tomorrow is to go 2-0. What we've accomplished in the past has given us the opportunity to have what's in front of us at this moment. Our approach doesn't change, we just have to stay mentally within ourselves and continue to work on winning the series against Bowling Green."
Sydney Stepp took the loss for Bowling Green after allowing six hits and four runs in 3.0 innings of work. Hannah Davies pitched the final three innings, striking out five batters and allowing no runs and no hits.
The Chippewas registered their 11th team shutout of the year.
Central Michigan's four runs scored this afternoon were more than the Chippewas had scored in each their last three games against Bowling Green.
—CMU—
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lehto, Grace (12-10)
L: STEPP, Sydney (1-9)
Base Running:
HBP: HENKEL, Marti 1
Batting:
2B: Coberley, Skylar 1
RBI: Alexander, Kelsey 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 2 ; Cronin, Lucy 1
SH: Tolmie, Abbey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vallimont, Michaleigh 1 ; Alexander, Kelsey 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Callahan, Faith 1
CS: Laska, Cierra 1
HBP: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Bracamonte, Emily 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/OF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballIF/UTL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
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