Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, March 16
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Approx. 3 P.M.
Central Michigan University
5-18, 2-1
7
vs
6
NIU
7-15, 1-2
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Northern Illinois
0
0
0
2
4
0
0
6
10
3
Central Michigan
3
0
1
3
0
0
X
7
6
1
Photo by: Josie Ransley '25,M'27 - @josieransmedia
Softball Grabs Series Victory Over NIU in First MAC Series
3/16/2024 7:00:00 PM | Softball
Central Michigan defeated NIU in back-to-back games at Margo Jonker Stadium to grab first MAC Series win of the season.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan Softball Team secured the MAC Series win when they defeated the NIU Huskies 7-5 and 7-6 at Margo Jonker Stadium on a windy Saturday afternoon. The Chippewas advance to 5-18 (2-1) on the season falls to 7-15 (1-2). Grace Lehto registered a save in game one and took her first win of the 2024 season in game two.
The messge from fifth year Head Coach McCall Salmon to her team: "We need to respond. In the Mid-American Conference, our goal is to win every series. Coming into today, that goal was still in front of us and we needed to punch back."
GAME ONE:
Woes in the circle started the game in favor of the Huskies when they grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first. Madelyn Wallace who took the start for CMU threw for 2.2 innings and in the first, issued three walks, one that walked in the first run of the game.
In the second inning, Wallace settled in and retired the Huskies after a leadoff double. The Central Michigan bats had her back in the bottom of the second with a solo homerun from Allyssa Hollo & a 2-RBI double from Carly Sleeman. The Sleeman double, her eighth of the season, scored fellow freshman Grace Koenig who reached via single and Lucy Cronin who was hit by a pitch in her at bat.
In the top of the third inning, NIU responded with three runs of their own. A single from NIU scored their fourth run of the day, and that would conclude the afternoon for Wallace. Mackenzie Langan relieved Wallace in the circle with bases loaded and two outs. The final out via ground ball to Maddie Springer at shortstop would end the inning at 4-3 in favor of the Huskies.
NIU added another run in the top of the fourth via solo homerun to take the 5-3 lead.
A clutch bottom of the sixth inning for the Chippewas gave them the 7-5 tilt heading to the seventh. A double from Grace Koenig started the fun as that was followed up by a double from Abbey Tolmie, which drove in Koenig. The Huskies elected to intentionally walk Carly Sleeman, and Skylar Coberley drew a walk herself to follow that up. A picture-perfect sacrifice fly from Michaleigh Vallimont scored A. Tolmie from third. Emma Lotus entered as a pinch hitter to deliver a base hit, scoring the final two runs of the game for the Chippewas. "Pinch hitting is hard. We had a lot of pinch hitters come in today and be successful and get the job done."
Mackenzie Langan grabbed her first win of her career in the outing after throwing 3.1 innings after she relieved Madleyn Wallace in the third. Langan faced 13 batters after entering when CMU was down 4-3. She struck out three, issued just three hits and allowed just one run. Grace Lehto entered to face the final three batters in the seventh, earning her first save of the season for the Senior.
Northern Illinois threw Danielle Stewart for a second consecutive game against the Chippewas after her complete game outing on Friday afternoon. Stewart allowed just five Chippewa hits on Friday and struck out seven, but CMU responded where they tagged Steward for eight hits, seven runs, and six walks in the first win Saturday afternoon. "We knew we were going to see Stewart again." said Salmon "and we knew we needed to make adjustments at the plate."
GAME TWO:
The bats that ended hot in game one, continued hot into game two for the Chippewas. A 3-run bottom of the first let CMU jump out early over the Huskies.
Abbey Tolmie started the heat for CMU when she drew a walk as the second batter of the inning. Carly Sleeman hit another double which placed A. Tolmie on third base. Skylar Coberley came to the plate, placed the perfect bunt down, and A. Tolmie beat the tag at home.
Carly Sleeman has been a force for the Chippewas offensivley in her first season of college softball. She leads the team with 10 doubles on the season, three of which came on Satruday vs. the Huskies. "We can talk about Sleeman's hits, but what I am really impressed with is her ability behind the plate." In the game on Friday, NIU was able to steal four bases, being thrown out just once. In the two games on Saturday, NIU successfully stole two bases, after Sleeman hosed the first attempt out at second base by four steps. "NIU steals a lot of bases." Salmon said, "We were able to adjust to them from yesterday (Friday) and it is great to see Carly really settling in behind the plate and it is exciting to see." Salmon also added, with a chuckle "Her bat is also very helpful!"
Michaleigh Vallimont came to the dish, singled to left and drove in Sleeman. When Allyssa Hollo came to the plate, she delivered a double in the right center gap, which drove home Coberley.
A scoreless frame in the second on both sides was followed up with an extra Chippewa run in the bottom half of the third. Keira Tolmie came in as a pinch hitter and delivered the perfect single up the middle which let Vallimont, who reached on a single that skipped past first base.
In the top of the fourth, NIU struck with a 2-run homerun to cut the lead to 5 for the Chippewas.
CMU had an answer though in the bottom half of the fourth an A. Tolmie single to the shortstop started the inning, Sleeman was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch by NIU. Bryn Elsenpeter delivered a clutch pinch hit and drove in two runs: Vallimont and Coberley.
In the fifth inning, NIU started the inning with two quick outs, after Cierra Laska entered the circle to pitch. A two-out double would score the runner who reached on a throwing error by Maddie Springer, and a base hit would then score that runner from second.
Grace Lehto then re-entered the circle for CMU and got the final out, but not before a base hit scored the Huskie's sixth run of the game.
That would be the end of the scoring as CMU threatened in the sixth, but did not score any. Lehto held the Huskies scoreless in the seventh, when they also threatened with bases loaded.
This marks the first back-to-back wins for the Chippewas this season, and the first series win of MAC play.
"I am proud of the teams fight all over. Today is what we have been waiting to see all season and I am glad we were able to put some things together today. NIU is a great team and is a team that will fight every single out of every single game. Us being able to battle and get our first two-win day of the year will allow us to go into Detroit Mercy on Wednesday and then take some time off, feeling good."
WHAT IS NEXT:
Central Michigan will play next at home again when they host Detroit Mercy on Wednesday, March 20th. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Margo Jonker Stadium.
The messge from fifth year Head Coach McCall Salmon to her team: "We need to respond. In the Mid-American Conference, our goal is to win every series. Coming into today, that goal was still in front of us and we needed to punch back."
GAME ONE:
Woes in the circle started the game in favor of the Huskies when they grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first. Madelyn Wallace who took the start for CMU threw for 2.2 innings and in the first, issued three walks, one that walked in the first run of the game.
In the second inning, Wallace settled in and retired the Huskies after a leadoff double. The Central Michigan bats had her back in the bottom of the second with a solo homerun from Allyssa Hollo & a 2-RBI double from Carly Sleeman. The Sleeman double, her eighth of the season, scored fellow freshman Grace Koenig who reached via single and Lucy Cronin who was hit by a pitch in her at bat.
In the top of the third inning, NIU responded with three runs of their own. A single from NIU scored their fourth run of the day, and that would conclude the afternoon for Wallace. Mackenzie Langan relieved Wallace in the circle with bases loaded and two outs. The final out via ground ball to Maddie Springer at shortstop would end the inning at 4-3 in favor of the Huskies.
NIU added another run in the top of the fourth via solo homerun to take the 5-3 lead.
A clutch bottom of the sixth inning for the Chippewas gave them the 7-5 tilt heading to the seventh. A double from Grace Koenig started the fun as that was followed up by a double from Abbey Tolmie, which drove in Koenig. The Huskies elected to intentionally walk Carly Sleeman, and Skylar Coberley drew a walk herself to follow that up. A picture-perfect sacrifice fly from Michaleigh Vallimont scored A. Tolmie from third. Emma Lotus entered as a pinch hitter to deliver a base hit, scoring the final two runs of the game for the Chippewas. "Pinch hitting is hard. We had a lot of pinch hitters come in today and be successful and get the job done."
Mackenzie Langan grabbed her first win of her career in the outing after throwing 3.1 innings after she relieved Madleyn Wallace in the third. Langan faced 13 batters after entering when CMU was down 4-3. She struck out three, issued just three hits and allowed just one run. Grace Lehto entered to face the final three batters in the seventh, earning her first save of the season for the Senior.
Northern Illinois threw Danielle Stewart for a second consecutive game against the Chippewas after her complete game outing on Friday afternoon. Stewart allowed just five Chippewa hits on Friday and struck out seven, but CMU responded where they tagged Steward for eight hits, seven runs, and six walks in the first win Saturday afternoon. "We knew we were going to see Stewart again." said Salmon "and we knew we needed to make adjustments at the plate."
GAME TWO:
The bats that ended hot in game one, continued hot into game two for the Chippewas. A 3-run bottom of the first let CMU jump out early over the Huskies.
Abbey Tolmie started the heat for CMU when she drew a walk as the second batter of the inning. Carly Sleeman hit another double which placed A. Tolmie on third base. Skylar Coberley came to the plate, placed the perfect bunt down, and A. Tolmie beat the tag at home.
Carly Sleeman has been a force for the Chippewas offensivley in her first season of college softball. She leads the team with 10 doubles on the season, three of which came on Satruday vs. the Huskies. "We can talk about Sleeman's hits, but what I am really impressed with is her ability behind the plate." In the game on Friday, NIU was able to steal four bases, being thrown out just once. In the two games on Saturday, NIU successfully stole two bases, after Sleeman hosed the first attempt out at second base by four steps. "NIU steals a lot of bases." Salmon said, "We were able to adjust to them from yesterday (Friday) and it is great to see Carly really settling in behind the plate and it is exciting to see." Salmon also added, with a chuckle "Her bat is also very helpful!"
Michaleigh Vallimont came to the dish, singled to left and drove in Sleeman. When Allyssa Hollo came to the plate, she delivered a double in the right center gap, which drove home Coberley.
A scoreless frame in the second on both sides was followed up with an extra Chippewa run in the bottom half of the third. Keira Tolmie came in as a pinch hitter and delivered the perfect single up the middle which let Vallimont, who reached on a single that skipped past first base.
In the top of the fourth, NIU struck with a 2-run homerun to cut the lead to 5 for the Chippewas.
CMU had an answer though in the bottom half of the fourth an A. Tolmie single to the shortstop started the inning, Sleeman was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch by NIU. Bryn Elsenpeter delivered a clutch pinch hit and drove in two runs: Vallimont and Coberley.
In the fifth inning, NIU started the inning with two quick outs, after Cierra Laska entered the circle to pitch. A two-out double would score the runner who reached on a throwing error by Maddie Springer, and a base hit would then score that runner from second.
Grace Lehto then re-entered the circle for CMU and got the final out, but not before a base hit scored the Huskie's sixth run of the game.
That would be the end of the scoring as CMU threatened in the sixth, but did not score any. Lehto held the Huskies scoreless in the seventh, when they also threatened with bases loaded.
This marks the first back-to-back wins for the Chippewas this season, and the first series win of MAC play.
"I am proud of the teams fight all over. Today is what we have been waiting to see all season and I am glad we were able to put some things together today. NIU is a great team and is a team that will fight every single out of every single game. Us being able to battle and get our first two-win day of the year will allow us to go into Detroit Mercy on Wednesday and then take some time off, feeling good."
WHAT IS NEXT:
Central Michigan will play next at home again when they host Detroit Mercy on Wednesday, March 20th. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Margo Jonker Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lehto, Grace (1-10)
L: Madison Carlson (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Ellis Erickson 1 ; Trinity Jones Estrad 1
HR: Madison Mathews 1
RBI: Ellis Erickson 1 ; Avery Carnahan 1 ; Madison Mathews 2 ; Trinity Jones Estrad 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Danielle Stewart 1 ; Ellis Erickson 1 ; Katy Ramage 1 ; Avery Carnahan 2 ; Madison Mathews 1
SB: Katy Ramage 1
CS: Ellis Erickson 1
HBP: Katy Ramage 1
Batting:
2B: Sleeman, Carly 2 ; Hollo, Allyssa 1
RBI: Coberley, Skylar 1 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 1 ; Hollo, Allyssa 1 ; Elsenpeter, Bryn 2 ; Tolmie, Keira 1
SH: Lotus, Emma 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Sleeman, Carly 2 ; Coberley, Skylar 2 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 2
SB: Hollo, Allyssa 1
HBP: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Sleeman, Carly 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
dp/1b
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
ph/dp
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
IF/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC/UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
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Softball @ Ohio Bus exit
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Softball Vs Ball State DH
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