MAC Softball Player of the Week
Molly McChesney, Akron,
OF, Fr. (R)Verona, Wis.
Akron redshirt freshman Molly McChesney turned in a breakout week for the Zips batting .833 as she went 5-for-6 in a pair of games at Delaware State. In the Zips' season opener against the Hornets, she went 2-for-3, with a run scored and a stolen base. She then helped propel Akron to a 3-0 triumph past Delaware State in the nightcap going 3-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. In game one, McChesney opened the top of the seventh inning with a bunt single before getting into scoring position with a steal of second base. A groundout advanced her to third before a sacrifice fly off the bat of redshirt freshman OF Tiffany Stevens drove in McChesney with what proved to be Akron's lone run in a 3-1 setback. In game two, a 3-0 Akron win, McChesney got Akron off and running in the top of the fifth with a lead-off single before stealing second base. A groundout moved her to third before Taufa collected an RBI with a groundout.
MAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Erin Hunt, Toledo
Pitcher, Senior, Dansville, Mich
Senior Erin Hunt posted a 2-1 record with a 1.59 ERA to help Toledo post a 3-2 record at Mercer's Black & Orange Challenge. Hunt limited the opposition to a .182 batting average and struck out 26 batters in 22.0 IP. Hunt opened the tourney with a complete-game three hitter in a 7-0 blanking of Alabama A&M. After dropping a 5-0 decision to Pitt on Saturday, she scattered five hits and fanned eight in 8.0 innings on Sunday in a 2-1 winner over the host Bears.
Other Nominees
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Deborah Jones, Ball State
Pitcher, Sophomore, Unionville, Ind. (Bloomington North)
Sophomore Deborah Jones picked up right where she left off last season, earning the victory over Saint Louis in her 2021 debut after limiting SLU to four hits and one earned run over the first four innings of play Friday. She also struck out four batters and did not allow a single walk.She followed by earning the save in Ball State’s win over Austin Peay, throwing the final 3.0 innings and allowing just two hits and one run, while striking out two.
Grace Lehto, Central Michigan
Pitcher, FreshmanEaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids
Freshman pitcher Grace Lehto played a central role for the Chippewas in their opening weekend trip to Tennessee. Lehto got the nod in the season opener against Northern Kentucky, throwing 7.0 innings while striking out 8, to get the win in her collegiate debut. On Sunday, she faced host Tennessee and held the high-powered Volunteer offense to just 3 runs while striking out 5. Only four of the 13 hits she allowed for the weekend were for extra bases.
Payton Gottshall, Bowling Green
Pitcher, Redshirt Freshman, Massillon, Ohio (Perry)
Bowling Green’s Payton Gottshall picked up yet another win in her only appearance of the week. Gottshall allowed four hits in a complete-game win over Indiana State, striking out 14. Gottshall has posted a double-digit strikeout total in each of her seven appearances – including one relief appearance – this year. On the season, she has struck out 108 batters in 50 1/3 innings, walking just seven and allowing opponents to bat just .109 against her. She has an ERA of 0.56 this spring.
Sheridon Wilber, Akron
Freshman, Rock Creek, Ohio
Akron freshman pitcher Sheridon Wilber turned in a complete-game shutout in her collegiate debut in a 3-0 Akron victory over Delaware State. Wilber struck out three and didn't allow a walk en route to recording the shutout allowing only five hits over seven innings in the circle. She didn't allow a runner to advance past second base in the game, with only two Hornets even reaching scoring position in the game.
Haley Dominique, Ball State
Left Field, Senior, Oregon, Ohio (Clay)
Senior Haley Dominique turned in an impressive opening weekend, finishing Ball State’s four games with a .667 (6-for-9) batting average and an even more impressive .769 on base percentage. Thanks to her play, the Cardinals finished opening weekend with a 2-2 record, including wins over Saint Louis and Austin Peay. Dominique reached base safely at least twice in each game, including all three plate appearances versus Southern Illinois in which she drove in Ball State’s lone run with a sixth-inning RBI single. In fact, she went 3-for-3 against the Salukis on Saturday afternoon, following a 2-for-4 effort in the win against Austin Peay earlier in the day. She also reached base safely in all three of her plate appearances against Saint Louis, drawing two walks and being hit by a pitch.
Morgan Gardner, Central Michigan
Shortstop, Senior Armada, Mich./Romeo
Senior shortstop Morgan Gardner had a standout opening weekend for Central Michigan, both at the plate and in the field. Gardner hit .444 for the weekend, including going 3-for-5 (.600) against a nationally-ranked Tennessee team on the Volunteers home field. In the season opener vs. Northern Kentucky, Gardner singled and scored on a sac fly to give the Chippewas an early 2-0 lead. In game 1 vs. Tennessee, Gardner went 2-for-2, singling in both the 1st and 4th innings. In game 2 against the Volunteers, Gardner collected 1 of CMU's 2 hits, singling in the second inning. On defense, Gardner posted a 1.000 field percentage with 5 putouts and was a part of two double plays.
Mackenzie Swinehart, Western Michigan
CF, Senior, Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan
Bronco leadoff hitter reached base at a .667 clip in three games.
Madi McCoy, Bowling Green
Shortstop, Senior, Washington, Ill. (Washington)
Bowling Green’s Madi McCoy hit .400 with a slugging percentage of 1.200 last weekend. McCoy had a stellar game in the Falcons’ win over Indiana State. She fouled off 6 pitches in a 9-pitch at-bat in the fourth inning, before hitting a double on the ninth pitch. She came around to score the game’s first run. In her next at-bat, with BGSU now trailing, 2-1, she homered with two outs in the sixth to tie the score. Then, in the seventh, she had a sacrifice fly to drive in another run as the Falcons broke the game wide open. After a slow start to the season, McCoy has raised her batting average to .257 with a .400 slugging pct. on the season. She has a career batting average of .306, with 59 hits, including 11 homers, in 62 career games at BG.
Dayna Denner, Toledo
Third Base, Senior, Brooklyn Heights, Ohio/Cuyahoga Heights
Senior Dayna Denner posted a .353 batting average to go along with a team-high .765 slugging percentage to help Toledo post a 3-2 record at Mercer's Black & Orange Challenge. Denner also topped the Rockets with three RBI, including a pair following a game-winning two-run homer over the host Bears on Sunday. Denner collected a pair of hits in each of the Rockets' first two games. She homered and double in Toledo's win over Alabama A&M.
