Softball Splits With Akron, Earns Berth in MAC Tournament

Saturday, May 6

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

28-23, 15-13-0

Akron

27-23, 18-10-0

Akron

Central Michigan

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

5/6/2023 8:05:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score Game One Box Score Game Two Photo Gallery

CMU wins the first game of the day 3-2 in nine innings on a Skylar Coberley walk-off single; Akron takes the second game 6-5; Chippewas honor six seniors in post-game Senior Day ceremony.

By: Julia Bice

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Central Michigan split a doubleheader with Akron, winning the series' second game 3-2 in nine innings and dropping the series' third contest, 6-5, Saturday afternoon at Margo Jonker Stadium. The Chippewas also honored their six seniors in a post-game Senior Day ceremony.

Central Michigan will advance to next week's Mid-American Conference Tournament for a second consecutive year. The Chippewas concluded their home schedule with an 11-3 record at Margo Jonker Stadium and now stand at 28-24 overall and close out MAC regular season play with an 18-11 record. Akron is now 28-23 overall and 16-13 in MAC play.

The MAC Softball Tournament begins on Thursday, May 11.

"The MAC Tournament is something we wanted to get back to since last year," Central Michigan Head Coach McCall Salmon said. "Losing on day two, a tough extra-inning one run loss, and then a one-run loss to Bowling Green, it really stunned and motivated them from the summer until now. I'm excited for them to have the opportunity. This is your reward; now let's go do it."

We're going to utilize a couple practice days to get a couple percent better.

On the day, CMU's Kelsey Alexander led the way offensively as she finished with six hits, while Skylar Coberley (two RBI) and Abbey Tolmie each contributed four apiece. Grace Lehto pitched 7 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and earned both decisions, while Kaitlyn Bean went 8 2/3 innings with a career-best 12 strikeouts in the first game.

Game One: Central Michigan 3, Akron 2 (9 innings)

Skylar Coberley's two-out bloop single to centerfield in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Central Michigan a 3-2 extra inning victory and secured the Chippewa's place in next week's four-team Mid-American Conference Softball Championship. The first game of the day featured thwarted offensive rallies, aggressive baserunning, and clutch defensive plays as Central Michigan overcame adversity and came away with the victory.

With the score tied at 2-2 at the bottom of the ninth, CMU's Tolmie drew a leadoff walk and after two outs, Alexander reached base on a hit by pitch. With two outs, Coberley stepped to the plate with runners at first and second and sent the first pitch into center field while Tolmie rounded third base and raced to home for the game winner. The play set off a jubilant victory celebration.

"In general, there are a lot of emotions when you're in extra innings and you want to perform," Salmon said. "Sky came in with that group. She's taking her fifth year so I know she wanted it just as much as anyone else. Just seeing her coming through in the clutch was great. Those type of clutch situations are going to be key for us next week in the MAC Tournament."

CMU reliever Grace Lehto (14-13) earned the victory after pitching the final 1/3 inning. She entered the game in relief in the top of the ninth with a runner at third and retired her one batter on a fly out. Starting pitcher Kaitlyn Bean struck out a career-high 12 batters in pitching 8 2/3 innings. She allowed two runs, 10 hits, and two walks.

Bean was especially impressive and resilient, continually getting the Chippewas out of jams.

"Anyone that devotes themselves to a program for five years and has been a mainstay on the mound for those five years speaks volumes for itself," Salmon said of Bean. "What she's done for this program and the legacy she has left for every pitcher who has come after her. I'm excited that we get to continue on and survive another week."

It was a game of lost opportunity for both teams as they combined to strand 20 runners on base (10 by Akron and 10 by CMU). CMU finished the game with 12 hits, including three each by Tolmie and Alexander and two from Samantha Mills.

Central Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Mills reached base on an infield single. Emily Bracamonte followed with a single to left field and took off for second base. She drew a throw to second which the Akron second baseman caught but then dropped the ball when attempting to tag Bracamonte. Mills, who advanced to third on the single, scored on the miscue and the Chippewas had their first lead of the series. Later in the inning, Bracamonte was tagged out at home after Tolmie's single to left field.

Akron tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth when Brooke Sivek and Molly Mcchesney reached base on infield singles. Meagan Lee's sacrifice bunt advanced both runners to second and third respectively. The next batter, Alexis Campbell sent a grounder back at Bean and with Sivek charging from third base to home, Bean threw to first for the second out. Sivek crossed home and the game was tied at 1-1.

But Central Michigan came right back and regained the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Michaleigh Vallimont led off with a single up the middle and advanced to third on Alexander's single to center field. With no outs, Vallimont scored when Alyssa Hollo sent a line drive to left field off new pitcher Haley Croyle for an RBI double.

Akron tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh. The Zips put runners at first and second with one out when the speedy Sivek beat out an infield grounder and Mcchesney walked. Lee looped a single into left field and Sivek rounded third and beat the tag at home. With runners at second and third, Bean struck out Campbell and retired Laurel Devoe on a fly out to right field.

Game Two: Akron 6, Central Michigan 5

Akron won the second game of the doubleheader and third of the series, 6-5 after finishing with 12 hits. The Zips were led by three hits apiece from Sivek and Devoe and two RBI apiece from Abigail Scheller and Shelby Fortune. Olivia Stefanoni earned the victory in relief after pitching 3.0 innings and allowing three hits and no earned runs.

The game saw a 16-minute rain delay during the top of the sixth inning.

Alexander and Coberley both led CMU with three hits apiece, while Hollo and Springer both added two. Hollo, Springer and Coberley each had an RBI. CMU's Lehto pitched 7.0 innings and allowed nine hits, three runs and struck out eight.

Akron quickly took the lead 3-0 in the first inning. Emma Seper drove in Sivek for the first run and Scheller drove in two runs on a single to center field. CMU battled back with a run in the first inning when Hollo drove in an RBI on a single to left field.

CMU added a run in the second when Springer scored on a double steal.

But Akron went up 5-2 with two more runs in the third inning on back-to-back singles by Stevens and Fortune.

The Chippewas battled back to tie the game at 5-5 with two runs in the fourth on a Springer RBI single and fielding error, and one run in the fifth inning on a Coberley RBI single.

Akron scored the game-winning run in the sixth on a Fortune home run.

—CMU—