Saturday, April 13
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1:00 PM
Central Michigan University
9-23, 6-5
3
vs
0
Buffalo
12-22, 4-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Buffalo
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
Central Michigan
1
0
2
0
0
0
X
3
5
0
Photo by: Jasper Warner '25 - @jasperwarnermedia
Keira Tolmie Notches First Career Home Run with Walk-off for Softball Sweep Over Buffalo
4/13/2024 7:23:00 PM | Softball
Box Score 1Box Score 2Doubleheader Highlight VideoBox Score Game OneBox Score Game TwoPhoto GalleryPhoto Gallery 2
Two wins for the Chippewa Softball Team on Saturday completed the series sweep over MAC foe Buffalo.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan Softball Team moved to 7-5 in MAC play with a weekend sweep over the Buffalo Bulls. CMU grabbed two run-rule victories (9-0 on Friday and 8-0 in game two on Saturday) while throwing three straight shutouts over the weekend. The Chippewas were led by Grace Lehto who threw two complete game shut outs and by the Tolmie sisters offensively.
CMU moves to 10-24 overall and 7-5 in MAC play while Buffalo falls to 12-23 and 4-10 in MAC play. Next, the Chippewas will head to Bowling Green for a Monday double header with the Falcons on the 16th of April. The first game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
In all three games of the weekend, Central Michigan scored a run in the first inning while successfully throwing a hit-less first inning. The two games that ended in a run-rule are the first two games where the Chippewas have ended a game early due to their offensive performance.
Game 1:
Skylar Coberley started the scoring when she hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Abbey Tolmie who started the offense with a base hit leading off the bottom of the first inning. In third inning, Coberley collected her second RBI of the game when she scored the other Tolmie, Keira Tolmie. A Michaleigh Vallimont single then scored Coberley and CMU took their 3-0 lead. That lead would be the final score of the first game.
Mackenzie Langan took her second career start for the Chippewas as she went five complete innings before Madelyn Wallace entered in relief. Langan collected three strikeouts while issuing just three hits to the Bulls. Wallace recorded her first save of the season and the second of her career. The junior right-handed pitcher faced the final eight batters for the Bulls allowing two hits, issuing two ground outs and three fly outs.
Game Two:
The bottom of the first inning was a happy start for the Chippewas as they scored Abbey Tolmie with a sacrifice fly from Carly Sleeman. In the third inning, Abbey Tolmie scored her second run of the day when a sacrifice bunt from Skylar Coberley, 2-0 Chippewas after three complete.
In the fourth inning, two more runs were charted for the Chippewas when Emma Lotus singled to the shortstop, allowing Grace Koenig to cross home plate. A triple from Abbey Tolmie scored Lotus and the Chippewas took a 4-0 lead heading to the fifth inning.
In the fifth inning, Allyssa Hollo doubled up the middle which scored Skylar Coberley who also doubled to start the fifth inning. The first career double for Rachel Cairo scored Allyssa Hollo and Grace Koenig to give CMU the 7-0 lead at the end of the 5th inning.
Freshman Carly Sleeman walked it of in the game Friday, the call for Saturday was the first career home run for freshman Keira Tolmie. A ball deep over the right field fence on a 3-1 count called game for the Chippewas and completed the series sweep.
Pitching with Poise
The Chippewa pitching staff used three pitchers over the weekend in Grace Lehto, who threw two complete games, and Mackenzie Langan and Madelyn Wallace who tag-teamed the second game of the series.
Grace Lehto threw the 57th complete game of her career and the 6th of her senior season. Mackenzie Langan recorded her second career start and Madelyn Wallace grabbed her first save of the 2024 season.
"Our pitching staff across the board was incredible. Everyone complimented each other, Mackenzie threw a great five innings for us and Wallace game in to close the door. These are all things we knew we could do all year, so for them to finally show it and believe in themselves was victory number one. I am extremely proud of them for sticking to the game plan and continuing to get better every day."
The Bulls entered the weekend hitting .255 as a team with six of their starting nine batters hitting over .250 individually. On the weekend, the CMU pitching staff held the Bulls to a .152 batting average allowing just ten hits and walking just three batters. "Not only can Buffalo hit, but they can also put the ball over the fence." Said Coach Salmon. "This just showed how well our pitchers were commanding the zone. We had too many freebies given in our last series and against Michigan, and this weekend we made Buffalo earn everything they got."
Lehto struck out a season high 10 batters in game three of the series, seven in game one and Langan recorded three in her five innings for game two. "This is just testament to how well Grace was spinning the ball, Mackenzie's rise ball was very effective and allowed her to keep hitters off balance."
What the Weekend Boiled Down to:
The three-game win for the Chippewas was their first time stringing more than two wins together in the 2024 season. Three back-to-back-to-back shutouts also records the second, third, and fourth times the Chippewas have shutout an opponent this season. The first shutout came on March 29th when Lehto led CMU to a 1-0 lead over the Ohio Bobcats to open that series.
Central Michigan entered the weekend at 4-5 in Mid-American Conference play and shift now to 7-5 with the weekend sweep. Of the four complete MAC series the Chippewas have played, they have won two of them, while grabbing a win in the other two. "Each weekend we look to take the series. Getting the sweep with the win today takes back not getting the series win against Western. Every series that is our focus. We have to stay the course, take it one day at a time, and our new focus is now Bowling Green."
Coach McCall's Takeaways:
Fifth year Head Coach McCall Salmon credited many aspects of the Chippewas performances this weekend to their success. Most notably, their pitching staff. "I think first off, we have to credit the pitching staff across the board for the last two days. To throw three shutouts in a row, against an offense that we know has the ability to take off at any time, just highlights how proud I am of them and their approach to this weekend."
In the three games, CMU recorded 19 hits while only surrendering 10 to the Bulls offense. "Offensively we didn't try to do too much. We had a lot of two out execution," the Chippewas did. 13 of the 20 runs scored on the weekend came with two outs in the inning.
"We could have given up a month ago, but this team is a no quit attitude; they are ready to fight and punch. We talk a lot about punching back when we get punched – so this was a huge weekend for us."
In 2023, the Chippewas went 15-6 in April, with a three-game sweep over Buffalo as a part of that stretch. The Mid-American Conference has extended the post-season tournament to six teams opposed to the four in the 2022 and 2023 seasons following the covid-19 pandemic.
"April is key. A season is a season, it is not dictated by a month or a day. I think Team 46 has really stuck to the process. We need to finish in the top six of our conference, make the MAC Tournament, and look to make our run from there. Every goal we have is still in front of us. I am proud of the team for how they are sticking to the process, staying confident and trusting that things will come together."
For the latest news and updates on CMU Softball, follow the team on X (@cmusoftball) and Instagram (@cmichsoftball).
CMU moves to 10-24 overall and 7-5 in MAC play while Buffalo falls to 12-23 and 4-10 in MAC play. Next, the Chippewas will head to Bowling Green for a Monday double header with the Falcons on the 16th of April. The first game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
In all three games of the weekend, Central Michigan scored a run in the first inning while successfully throwing a hit-less first inning. The two games that ended in a run-rule are the first two games where the Chippewas have ended a game early due to their offensive performance.
Game 1:
Skylar Coberley started the scoring when she hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Abbey Tolmie who started the offense with a base hit leading off the bottom of the first inning. In third inning, Coberley collected her second RBI of the game when she scored the other Tolmie, Keira Tolmie. A Michaleigh Vallimont single then scored Coberley and CMU took their 3-0 lead. That lead would be the final score of the first game.
Mackenzie Langan took her second career start for the Chippewas as she went five complete innings before Madelyn Wallace entered in relief. Langan collected three strikeouts while issuing just three hits to the Bulls. Wallace recorded her first save of the season and the second of her career. The junior right-handed pitcher faced the final eight batters for the Bulls allowing two hits, issuing two ground outs and three fly outs.
Game Two:
The bottom of the first inning was a happy start for the Chippewas as they scored Abbey Tolmie with a sacrifice fly from Carly Sleeman. In the third inning, Abbey Tolmie scored her second run of the day when a sacrifice bunt from Skylar Coberley, 2-0 Chippewas after three complete.
In the fourth inning, two more runs were charted for the Chippewas when Emma Lotus singled to the shortstop, allowing Grace Koenig to cross home plate. A triple from Abbey Tolmie scored Lotus and the Chippewas took a 4-0 lead heading to the fifth inning.
In the fifth inning, Allyssa Hollo doubled up the middle which scored Skylar Coberley who also doubled to start the fifth inning. The first career double for Rachel Cairo scored Allyssa Hollo and Grace Koenig to give CMU the 7-0 lead at the end of the 5th inning.
Freshman Carly Sleeman walked it of in the game Friday, the call for Saturday was the first career home run for freshman Keira Tolmie. A ball deep over the right field fence on a 3-1 count called game for the Chippewas and completed the series sweep.
Pitching with Poise
The Chippewa pitching staff used three pitchers over the weekend in Grace Lehto, who threw two complete games, and Mackenzie Langan and Madelyn Wallace who tag-teamed the second game of the series.
Grace Lehto threw the 57th complete game of her career and the 6th of her senior season. Mackenzie Langan recorded her second career start and Madelyn Wallace grabbed her first save of the 2024 season.
"Our pitching staff across the board was incredible. Everyone complimented each other, Mackenzie threw a great five innings for us and Wallace game in to close the door. These are all things we knew we could do all year, so for them to finally show it and believe in themselves was victory number one. I am extremely proud of them for sticking to the game plan and continuing to get better every day."
The Bulls entered the weekend hitting .255 as a team with six of their starting nine batters hitting over .250 individually. On the weekend, the CMU pitching staff held the Bulls to a .152 batting average allowing just ten hits and walking just three batters. "Not only can Buffalo hit, but they can also put the ball over the fence." Said Coach Salmon. "This just showed how well our pitchers were commanding the zone. We had too many freebies given in our last series and against Michigan, and this weekend we made Buffalo earn everything they got."
Lehto struck out a season high 10 batters in game three of the series, seven in game one and Langan recorded three in her five innings for game two. "This is just testament to how well Grace was spinning the ball, Mackenzie's rise ball was very effective and allowed her to keep hitters off balance."
What the Weekend Boiled Down to:
The three-game win for the Chippewas was their first time stringing more than two wins together in the 2024 season. Three back-to-back-to-back shutouts also records the second, third, and fourth times the Chippewas have shutout an opponent this season. The first shutout came on March 29th when Lehto led CMU to a 1-0 lead over the Ohio Bobcats to open that series.
Central Michigan entered the weekend at 4-5 in Mid-American Conference play and shift now to 7-5 with the weekend sweep. Of the four complete MAC series the Chippewas have played, they have won two of them, while grabbing a win in the other two. "Each weekend we look to take the series. Getting the sweep with the win today takes back not getting the series win against Western. Every series that is our focus. We have to stay the course, take it one day at a time, and our new focus is now Bowling Green."
Coach McCall's Takeaways:
Fifth year Head Coach McCall Salmon credited many aspects of the Chippewas performances this weekend to their success. Most notably, their pitching staff. "I think first off, we have to credit the pitching staff across the board for the last two days. To throw three shutouts in a row, against an offense that we know has the ability to take off at any time, just highlights how proud I am of them and their approach to this weekend."
In the three games, CMU recorded 19 hits while only surrendering 10 to the Bulls offense. "Offensively we didn't try to do too much. We had a lot of two out execution," the Chippewas did. 13 of the 20 runs scored on the weekend came with two outs in the inning.
"We could have given up a month ago, but this team is a no quit attitude; they are ready to fight and punch. We talk a lot about punching back when we get punched – so this was a huge weekend for us."
In 2023, the Chippewas went 15-6 in April, with a three-game sweep over Buffalo as a part of that stretch. The Mid-American Conference has extended the post-season tournament to six teams opposed to the four in the 2022 and 2023 seasons following the covid-19 pandemic.
"April is key. A season is a season, it is not dictated by a month or a day. I think Team 46 has really stuck to the process. We need to finish in the top six of our conference, make the MAC Tournament, and look to make our run from there. Every goal we have is still in front of us. I am proud of the team for how they are sticking to the process, staying confident and trusting that things will come together."
For the latest news and updates on CMU Softball, follow the team on X (@cmusoftball) and Instagram (@cmichsoftball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Langan, Mackenzie (2-1)
L: Julia Tarantino (2-9)
S: Wallace, Madelyn (1)
Batting:
2B: Sleeman, Carly 1
RBI: Coberley, Skylar 2 ; Vallimont, Michaleigh 1
SF: Coberley, Skylar 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Tolmie, Keira 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 1
SB: Tolmie, Abbey 1 ; Coberley, Skylar 1
HBP: Springer, Maddie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC/UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballC/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
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