MAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Alyssa Rothwell, Ball State
Relief Pitcher, Senior, Ashville, Ohio / Teays Valley
May 14, 2021 at Buffalo, that’s the day Ball State senior pitcher Alyssa Rothwell become the greatest closer in NCAA Division I history with her record-setting 33rd career save … Rothwell struck out five of the seven batters she faced over the 2.0 inning save, including getting the final batter of the game looking … However, it was just one of four solid performances for Rothwell who finished the week with a 1.62 ERA, a 2-0 record and one save … In all, she struck out 16 batters over her 8.2 innings of work (nearly 2 an inning), while allowing just three hits and a pair of runs … In fact, she help opposing batters to a minuscule .103 average over her four appearances.
MAC Softball Player of the Week
Karli Spaid, Miami University
Second Base, Freshman, Chicago, Ill./Lane Technical
Karli Spaid helped Miami to a 6-0 week, clinching the MAC regular-season title with five games remaining on the RedHawks’ schedule and propelling Miami to its fifth NCAA Tournament berth. Spaid hit a sizzling .545 for the week, amassing 12 hits in 22 at-bats, nine of which were extra base hits, as Miami picked up a doubleheader sweep against Ohio and a four-game series sweep at Northern Illinois. She notched four home runs, four doubles and a triple on the week and 11 RBI. Spaid compiled a blistering 1.364 slugging percentage. She posted a .565 on-base percentage and was 1-for-1 in stolen bases. Spaid again broke Miami’s single-season home run record and is tied for the RedHawks’ single-season run record.
Other Nominees
Makenna Durieux, Toledo
Pitcher, Junior, Toledo
Junior Makenna Durieux posted a 2-1 win-loss mark and a 1.91 ERA in 22.0 IP. Durieux threw a complete game vs. CMU, allowing six hits and one run before striking out a season-high six batters and allowing five hits and one run in 5.1 IP vs. Akron.
Courtney Vierstra, Miami University
Pitcher, Senior, Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood
Courtney Vierstra helped Miami to a 6-0 week, clinching the MAC regular-season title with five games remaining on the RedHawks’ schedule and propelling Miami to its fifth NCAA Tournament berth. Vierstra went 3-0 on the week, pitching three complete games, two of which were shutouts. Her two shutouts helped Miami tie the program single-season record for shutouts with 19. Two of her wins were run-rule shutouts. She pitched the MAC-title clinching win against Ohio in the first game of the May 12 doubleheader. Vierstra boasted an impressive 0.78 ERA for the week, giving up a mere two runs off 12 hits while walking just one and striking out 22 in 18.0 innings of work.
Grace Lehto, Central Michigan
RHP, Freshman, Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids
Freshman righthander Grace Lehto went 2-0 last week, helping the Chippewas finish out the 2021 regular season strong. On Saturday vs. Ohio, she threw a complete game, allowing 5 hits and 3 earned runs with 4 strikeouts in a 6-4 victory. On Sunday, Lehto came on in relief, pitching 6 1/3 innings. She allowed just 4 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 5 to hold the Bobcats at bay while the Chippewas fought their way to an 8-7 8-inning come-from-behind win.
Lauren Erickson, Toledo
Left Field, Freshman, Toledo
Freshman Lauren Erickson led the Rockets with a .455 batting average, .636 SLG%, .481 OB% and eight RBIs last week. Erickson also tied for the team lead with four doubles. Highlighting Erickson's week was a 3-for-4 outing with four RBIs and two doubles at WMU. She also was 2-for-3 against Akron in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Saturday.
Abbey Tolmie, Central Michigan
Outfield, Freshman, Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston
Freshman outfielder Abbey Tolmie had a standout week at the plate and in the field, as the Chippewas posted a 4-2 record to finish out the regular season. Tolmie hit .429, going 9-for-21, driving in 2 and scoring 6 runs. In the final 3 games of the series vs. Ohio, all CMU wins, Tolmie went 6-for-11, scoring 5 runs and notching 1 RBI. In the field, Tolmie was busy, recording 16 putouts including several diving catches from her spot in right field. Tolmie finished the season on a high note, hitting safely in 10 of her last 11 games, helping her to move into the top spot on the team with a .355 batting average.
Stacy Payton, Ball State
Catcher / First Base, Senior, Brazil, Ind. / Northview
Stacy Payton closed the 2021 season on a strong note, batting .538 (7-for-13) with a team-high 1.154 slugging percentage to help the Cardinals go 6-0 … She tallied a pair of home runs and two doubles on the week, while registering at least one hit in all five games she played … She started the week by driving in what proved to be the game-winning run in the opener at Northern Illinois with a 2-run home run … She also scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the series opener at Buffalo … Overall, she tallied six RBI and five runs scored for the week.
Katie Yun, Ohio
Short Stop, Senior, North Canton, Ohio (North Canton Hoover)
In her final games as a Bobcat, senior Katie Yun led Ohio at the plate. Overall, Yun hit .471 with eight hits, two doubles, one triple, one homerun and four RBI. She recored a .882 slugging percentage and a .476 on base percentage. Yun drew two walks and stole one base in one attempt on the weekend. In the series at Miami, Yun recorded four hits, a triple, double and two RBI.
Carlee Selle, Kent State
Catcher, Senior, Reese, Mich. / Reese
Carlee Selle finished her career by leading Kent State to a 5-1 week while posting an impressive .467/.500/1.000 slash line. Selle collected a hit in all five games in which she had an official at-bat and slugged two doubles and two home runs with seven RBIs. She delivered in the clutch in each of the first two games of the weekend series against Western Michigan. Selle blasted a three-run homer to tie it in the bottom of the fourth inning on Friday and then drew a walk in the bottom of the eighth, moving the eventual winning runner into scoring position. She crushed a two-run dinger in the fifth inning for a walk-off victory to start Saturday's doubleheader, and then went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI doubles in the second game.
