Softball Splits MAC Twinbill At Ohio

ATHENS, Ohio – Kelsey Alexander hit two of Central Michigan’s three homers on Saturday, leading the Chippewas to a 5-2 victory over Ohio in the opener of a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at Ohio Softball Field.
 
The Bobcats won the nightcap, 8-6, to win the three-game series.
 
CMU is 17-19, 8-6 MAC, and plays host to Toledo at Margo Jonker Stadium in a three-game series beginning on Tuesday, April 19 (3 p.m.). Ohio is 16-19, 10-6.
 
Caitlyn Britton also homered in the opener for CMU on Saturday as the Chippewas outhit the Bobcats, 8-4. Alexander and Emily Bracamonte finished with three hits apiece.
 
Alexander raised her home run total to seven on the season. She has three in her last four games. Britton homered in both games of the doubleheader, giving her 10 round-trippers on the season.
 
It marked the fourth time this season the Chippewas have hit three homers in a game. They had three against Bellarmine on Feb. 19, against Akron on March 20, and against Kent State on April 5.
 
Britton homered leading off the fourth to give CMU a 2-1 lead and the Chippewas never trailed again.
 
Kaitlyn Bean (5-8) struck out seven and did not issue a walk in tossing a four-hitter for the win.
 
“One thing we talked about going into the start was just making her pitches, getting ahead in the count, and staying composed for a full seven innings,” CMU coach McCall Salmon said. “I thought she really did well in all three of those areas and gave us a chance to win the game.”
 
Britton hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh of the nightcap to give the Chippewas a 6-5 lead before Ohio scored three runs in the bottom of the frame to pull out the victory.
 
The Bobcats got a leadoff homer in the seventh to tie it, 6-6, and then got a two-out, two-run homer to win in walk-off fashion.
 
The Chippewas finished with 11 hits, two each by Alexander, Bracamonte and Michaleigh Vallimont.
 
“There were some opportunities that we had that we didn’t execute on,” Salmon said. “I was proud of our fight in that second game. Coming back, scoring five runs and Caitlyn Britton having that huge home run in the seventh to put us up one.”
 
Britton (0-1) took the loss in relief of Grace Lehto. Britton allowed five runs on five hits, walked two, and struck out one. Grace Lehto started for CMU and allowed three runs on four hits. She struck out two and walked one.
 
The Chippewas outhit the Bobcats, 11-9.
 
“When it comes to hitting, consistency’s key and it’s not just one hitter,” Salmon said. “It comes down to a consistent nine and everyone doing their part on any given day. We talk about it in practice, hitting is reps, over and over again, and we just continue to do that and it’s about their confidence and their mental approach.”