Saturday’s Softball Results
Ball State 3, Miami 0
Ball State 5, Miami 0
Bowling Green 8, Western Michigan 0
Bowling Green 4, Western Michigan 0
Central Michigan 4, Kent State 3
Central Michigan 12, Kent State 4
Northern Illinois 5, Buffalo 3
Northern Illinois 20, Buffalo 2
Toledo 8, Ohio 5
Toledo 4, Ohio 0
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Ball State 3, Miami 0 | Box Score
Ball State 5, Miami 0 | Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Freshman Breanna Severino and junior Ella Whitney threw a combined 14 innings of shutout softball to lead the Ball State softball team to 3-0 and 5-0 victories over Mid-American Conference leader Miami Saturday afternoon.
Severino threw the opener for the Cardinals (26-11; 11-5 MAC), scattering seven hits over her seven innings of work while allowing just one walk. She also struck out four batters on her way to her second career collegiate complete game shutout.
On the offensive front, all three of Ball State's runs came in the fourth inning which started with redshirt junior right fielder Ashlee Lovett being hit by a pitch. Two batters later, sophomore third baseman Mandy Lauth was also hit by a pitch, giving the Cardinals a pair of base runners.
Then, with two outs, the Cardinals took advantage of the hit batters with sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak smashing a two-run double to right center. The rally continued in the next at bat, when redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons blasted an RBI double of her own to the wall in center field.
In the nightcap, it was Whitney's turn to pick up her second complete game shutout of the season as she limited the RedHawks (25-18; 14-3 MAC) to two hits over one of her most dominating efforts of the season. She struck out six batters along the way, five of which she caught looking.
On the offensive front, it was also Whitney who would drive in what proved to be the game-winning run as she opened the bottom of the second with her eighth home run of the season.
The Cardinals extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a lead off walk by Pietrzak thanks to an RBI double form senior left fielder Kara Gunter. Two batters later, redshirt freshman pinch run Payton Fox came around to score on a single down the left field line from redshirt junior second baseman McKenna Mulholland.
Lovett capped the scoring in the bottom of the fifth, driving in both Timmons and Gunter with a one-out double down the left field line. Timmons walked to open the inning, while Gunter picked up her 100th collegiate hit with a double to right center to put the pair in scoring position.
The Ball State softball team returns to action Tuesday, when it travels to Western Michigan for a1 p.m. doubleheader.
Bowling Green 8, Western Michigan 0 | Box Score
Bowling Green 4, Western Michigan 0 | Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Three players homered in the same inning, and two freshman combined for 12 shutout innings in the circle, as the Bowling Green State University softball team posted a Saturday sweep of Western Michigan University. The Falcons captured the Mid-American Conference doubleheader by scores of 8-0 (five innings) and 4-0, respectively, at Meserve Field.
The Falcons (15-25, 7-9 MAC) scored in every inning of the opener, hitting three homers in a four-batter span in the third inning. Cameron Kaufman and Scarlet Anderson began the inning with back-to-back bombs – the first career homer for each player – and after Ava McKee singled, Kendall Mathews hit a two-run blast to give BG a 7-0 lead.
In the second game, Addie Martin and Hannah Hunt each went 3-for-3, and that duo combined to drive in all four runs.
In the circle, freshmen Morgan Beckham and Sydney Marshall combined to blank the Broncos (11-28, 5-9 MAC). Beckham threw a complete-game shutout in the five-inning win in the opener, and Marshall allowed just three hits and no runs in game two before leaving the game two batters into the sixth inning.
Beckham came on in relief and, after issuing a walk to load the bases with no outs, proceeded to retire each of the next six hitters to lock down the shutout win.
GAME ONE
The Falcons scored in every inning of the run-rule win in Saturday's opener. WMU starting pitcher Kailey O'Connor was not aided by her defense in the early going, as the Broncos made five errors in the first two frames.
After BGSU starter Morgan Beckham retired the side in order in the first, Taylor Behrendt led off the bottom of the inning by reaching base on a ground ball to the left side. A line drive to right field and a force at second brought Cameron Kaufman to the plate with two outs, and she reached in an infield error, as the third baseman's throw to first was off line. Hannah Hunt, who had reached on the aforementioned fielder's choice, advanced to third as Kaufman continued to second.
The play was seemingly over, but the WMU first baseman's throw home sailed past the catcher, allowing Hunt to score and Kaufman to advance to third. Scarlet Anderson followed by hitting a hot shot to the left side. The ball glanced off the glove of the third baseman but was quickly grabbed by shorstop Caitlin Tighe. Tighe's throw, however, pulled the first baseman off the bag, and Anderson was safe as Kaufman crossed the plate.
The trend continued in the second. Kendall Mathews drew a leadoff walk, and took second on a wild pitch with Hanna Massaro at the plate. Massaro then reached base on an infield error, with Mathews forced to hold.
Mathews was out after attempting to advance to third on a pitch in the dirt, but Peyton Steffes followed with a double to the wall in left, and Massaro scored easily. Yet another WMU error put runners at the corners with two outs, before O'Connor and the Broncos got a ground ball to short for the third out.
The Falcons turned into the Bronx Bombers in the third. Kaufman led off the half-inning with a homer to left-center, her first collegiate round-tripper. Then, Anderson hit a ball over the fence just left of center field, marking the first dinger of her collegiate career.
After the back-to-back jacks and a WMU pitching change, Ava McKee greeted Jensen Gremillion with a single to right, and on the very next pitch, Mathews hit a drive to left that landed on top of the BGSU bullpen for a two-run homer and a 7-0 lead.
Another pitching change ensued, and Massaro – on her birthday – welcomed Casey Fazzini with a single to left. But, after five-straight Falcons had reached to begin the inning, Fazzini retired the next three hitters.
Beckham, meanwhile, had retired nine in a row to begin the game, before the Broncos put two runners aboard in the fourth. Payton Kelly reached on a bunt back to the circle, and Tristen Head lined a ball down the left-field line for a single.
Kelly tagged and took third on a fly ball to right, and Head took second on a pitch in the dirt, with Kelly forced to hold. Jordan Smith hit a ball relatively hard, but shortstop Kaufman caught the liner just above the ground, and another fly ball to right got Beckham and the Falcons out of the inning unscathed.
Hunt led off the Falcon fourth with a base hit, and Kaufman walked to put two runners aboard. A popup produced the first out, but a four-pitch walk to McKee loaded the bases. Mathews followed by hitting a ball just a few feet down the first-base line, but it was enough to get a run home, as Hunt scored on the throw to first.
Beckham issued a walk, her only free pass of the game, to begin the fifth, but then got a foul pop that was caught by Kaufman, a strikeout of Riley Chumbley and a ground ball to third that ended the game.
Eight different Falcons had one hit apiece in the victory, with three of those players (Kaufman, Mathews and McKee) drawing a walk as well. Mathews drove in a game-high three runs, while both Hunt and Kaufman scored twice.
GAME TWO
Sydney Marshall threw 10 pitches in the first inning, and all 10 were strikes as the freshman retired the side in order, with a pair of grounders sandwiched around a strikeout.
BGSU took the lead in the bottom of the frame, as Addie Martin lined a one-out single up the middle, and came all the way around to score on Hunt's double to the gap in right-center.
The Broncos got a baserunner on an infield error in the second, but on the very next pitch, a pinch-runner was called out for leaving early. Kelly's soft liner was caught by second baseman Hunt, and Marshall struck out Analeez Niles to retire the side.
WMU starter Kaylee Salyer, who had picked up a complete-game win over the Falcons on Friday, retired the side in order in the second. Marshall worked around a Micaela Booth leadoff single and a two-out BG error in the third, before Salyer set down the first two Falcons in the bottom of the inning. Martin and Hunt followed with singles, but a strikeout ended the threat.
The only baserunner of the fourth inning came on a Kelly single with two outs, and the game remained 1-0 in favor of the Falcons.
Marshall retired the visitors in order in the fifth, and BGSU then extended the lead. Massaro led off with a walk, and one out later, Behrendt reached on an error by second baseman Niles, who bobbled the ball before throwing wide of first. Massaro advanced to third on the play. Then, after Behrendt stole second, Martin scorched a ball down the right-field line and into the corner. When the smoke cleared, both Massaro and Behrendt had scored and Martin was safe at third.
The Falcons had a three-run lead, which became a four-run lead when Hunt greeted relief pitcher Fazzini with an RBI single up the middle. Fazzini retired the next two Falcons, aided by a nifty catch in right, but the damage was done.
Western threatened to get right back in the game in the top of the sixth. Riley Dittmar led off by reaching on a hot shot to the right side, and Head followed with a double to left-center.
With runners at second and third, Beckham replaced Marshall in the circle. Beckham walked Jordan Smith to load the bases with no outs, bringing the tying run to the plate. But, the Falcon freshman struck out Jadeyn Merrill on four pitches, then got Kelly to hit a grounder to Martin at third. Martin fired home to catcher McKee for a force play and out number two.
And, Beckham then induced Niles to pop up, and Hunt made the catch for the third out.
BG looked to increase the lead in the bottom of the sixth, as Massaro singled up the middle with two outs, then advanced to third on a pinch-hit double to left-center by Katie Hutter. But, Fazzini got the third out on a ground ball back to the circle.
In the seventh, Booth reached on an error, but Beckham got Chumbley to hit a foul pop that was caught by catcher McKee, before pinch-hitter O'Connor popped up to Kaufman at short. Two pitches later, right fielder Steffes settled under Dittmar's fly ball, and the Falcons had a second-straight shutout, a doubleheader sweep and a series win.
Both Martin and Hunt went 3-for-3 with two RBI in the win. Martin had a triple among her three hits, scoring a pair of runs, while Hunt had a double in the victory.
Massaro had a walk, a single and a run on her birthday.
Marshall earned the win with five innings of three-hit shutout ball. She struck out three Broncos and did not walk a batter. Beckham pitched two innings, walking one, striking out one and allowing zero hits.
The Falcons wrap up a five-game homestand on Tuesday afternoon (April 15) against the MAC's preseason favorite. BGSU will meet Ohio in a doubleheader at Meserve Field, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Then, the Orange and Brown will head to Mount Pleasant for a three-game series with Central Michigan next weekend. The teams are slated to play a Friday (April 18) single game and a Saturday (April 19) twinbill at Margo Jonker Stadium.
Central Michigan 4, Kent State 3 | Box Score
Central Michigan 12, Kent State 4 | Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Two more games at Margo Jonker Stadium, two more wins for Central Michigan Softball.
CMU defeated Kent State 4-3 and 12-4 (5) to complete the series sweep over the Golden Flashes. The Chippewas advance to 19-18 overall and 11-4 in MAC play, as Kent State falls to 7-31 and 0-14 in the conference.
In the first game, Central Michigan retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning via an RBI double from Carly Sleeman.
The Chippewas trailed in the first inning after Kent State scored with an RBI single but answered back to tie it when Maddison Diekman singled up the middle to score Grace Koenig in the second inning. Two more runs scored with a single from Sleeman and a double from Allyssa Hollo, 3-1 Chippewas after two complete.
Kent State tied the game in the top of the sixth inning with a run scored via wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
The double in the bottom of that inning would seal the deal, and let CMU take the victory in game one.
Brooklyn Compau made her 14th start of the season for the Chippewas and lasted 5.1 innings before Cierra Laska entered in relief.
Laska earned the win, the second of her career as a relief pitcher for the Chippewas.
Central Michigan recorded 10 hits in the game, but the key was timing as they left nine runners on base.
In game two, the CMU bats continued to be hot, but this time in the right moments.
The Chippewas charted 12 hits in the series finale, and every batter in the lineup charted a hit. Grace Koenig, Carly Sleeman and Rachel Cairo recorded two hits each in the game, and London Williams sent a ball 60 feet over the left field fence for her 9th career home run in her freshman season.
Kent State again struck first in the top of the first inning with a sacrifice fly, but a two-run home run from Sleeman in the bottom half of the inning gave CMU the lead.
The Golden Flashes scored two more in the top of the second, and that would be it for the game.
An eight run inning in the third inning boosted CMU heavily into the lead.
The scoring started with the Williams solo home run. Keira Tolmie hit a sacrifice fly to score Allyssa Hollo, which tied the game at four.
Rachel Cairo singled up the middle to score Tori Briggs and Grace Koenig, as CMU took the 6-4 lead.
Two more runs came across with a single from Sleeman to score Diekman and Cairo.
Allyssa Hollo hit her 12th double of the season, and the Chippewas capped off the inning with a 10-4 lead.
Rachel Cairo recorded a double in the fourth to score Tolmie, and a wild pitch on ball four to Sleeman scored Ashley Bila who pinch ran for Cairo.
Central Michigan has now charted 10 or more hits in fourteen game this season, and have hit 34 home runs as a team.
The Chippewas next travel to Toledo, Ohio to take on the Rockets in a mid-week double header on Tuesday, April 15th.
Northern Illinois 5, Buffalo 3 | Box Score
Northern Illinois 20, Buffalo 2 | Box Score
BUFFALO, NY— Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) broke the Northern Illinois University softball record for runs scored in a single game with five runs in the second game of the doubleheader as the Huskies swept the Bulls of the University at Buffalo. The Huskies (14-22, 9-8 MAC) defeated the Bulls (9-26, 4-10 MAC) 5-3 in the first game before posting a score of 20-2 in the second game, winning in five innings.
The Huskies broke the school record for single game RBIs with 20 in the second game. The previous record was set at 19 in 2011 against Colorado State. The 20 runs scored in the second game matched the school record for runs in a single game which was set in 1982 against Indiana State.
NIU recorded a season-best 19 hits in the second game after recorded a season-best five doubles in the first game.
Madison Mathews (Yuma, Ariz./Cibola) went 4-of-4 at the plate in the first game and recorded the lone home run for the Huskies. Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) recorded a career-best 10 strikeouts in the first game of the doubleheader.
Turner went 4-of-4 in the second game and had 5 RBIs in the contest. Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) and Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) both went 3-of-3 in the second game with a combined 5 RBIs.
Game One Recap (NIU 5, Buffalo 3)
Leading off for NIU, Turner singled up the middle before advancing to second on passed ball. Nance was the second Huskie on base, reaching via an error as NIU put runners on the corners. NIU saw hits from Mathews and Katy Ramage (Germanton Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) as Cassell issued two walks while striking out four of the Bulls in her first two innings pitched.
The first three hits in the third inning were doubles to the outfield as Nance doubled to left field. Stewart's double to center field sent Nance across the plate for the first run of the game before Mathews doubled to right-center to keep the Huskies on the bases. The Bulls ended the Huskies offense with a pair of outs as two runners were left stranded.
Buffalo took the lead in the bottom of the third on back-to-back hits for a 2-1 lead as they recorded three hits in the inning.
Heading into the fourth, Ally Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) and Natalie Miller (Fredonia, Wis./Ozaukee) had back-to-back singles before Turner recorded the fourth double of the game for NIU to send Rodriguez across for the tying run.
Mathews hit her fifth home run of the season to lead off the Huskies in the fifth inning and tied the game at three. The Huskies defense allowed only one hit and stranded the runner on the base path as Cassell added two strikeouts to her day.
After recording a pair of quick outs in the top of the sixth, Turner singled through the right side to reach base. Nance reached via an error by the Bulls defense which sent Turner across the plate for the Huskie lead. Nance added the fifth run of the game for NIU on Stewart's RBI single as NIU loaded the bases with two more singles from Mathews and Ramage.
Miller marked her second double of the season, sending the ball down the right field line in the seventh inning before being left stranded on the bases. The Huskies allowed one hit in the final inning of play as they took the first game of the doubleheader.
Game Two Recap (NIU 20, Buffalo 2, 5 Innings)
Three consecutive singles were how the Huskies led off in the second game as Turner scored the first run on Stewart's RBI single to center field. Nance scored the second run of the game for the Huskies as Ramage grounded out to shortstop before the Bulls collected the final out of the inning.
Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) led the second inning off with a single up the middle as she advanced to third after a pair of groundouts by NIU. Nance hit an RBI single to the shortstop to send Hartman across for the third run of the game. Action continued as Stewart recorded her second RBI single of the game as Turner scored the fourth run. Mathews had the final hit of the inning for the Huskies, sending Nance across the plate, capping a three-run, four-hit inning for the Huskies.
The Huskies loaded the bases in the top of the third with a pair of singles and a walk. Rodriguez reached via a walk as Miller scored the sixth run of the game with no outs in the inning for the Huskies. Turner hit her third triple of the season to send Rodriguez, Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy), and Hartman across the plate. Nance hit a sacrifice fly to center field for Turner to score as the Huskies recorded a pair of singles before ending the third inning.
NIU's offense continued to add runs with three consecutive runs scored in the top of the fourth inning before the first out was recorded. The Huskies added a fourth run in the inning to extend their lead to 12, at 14-2.
Turner singled in her last at bat during the fifth inning to reach base and sent Brianna Pechman across the plate. Recording her first career hit, Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) singled up the middle to send Hailey Olivera (Oxnard, Calif./Rio Mesa) and Turner across the plate. Turner's run broke the NIU school record for runs in a single game. The Huskies weren't done scoring in the inning as Mathews hit an RBI double to right-center field sent Morera and Nance across the plate for the final runs of the game. NIU took the game in five innings for their third time this season.
The Huskies are next in action on April 16 at 4 p.m. as they host Bradley at Mary M. Bell Field in a non-conference matchup.
Toledo 8, Ohio 5 | Box Score
Toledo 4, Ohio 0 | Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – The Toledo softball team earned its first series win of the 2025 season with a doubleheader sweep over Mid-American Conference foe Ohio on Saturday afternoon. The Rockets took the first game, 8-5, in eight innings and capped the day with a 4-0 victory.
In game one, the Toledo (12-23, 5-9 MAC) offense exploded, totaling 11 hits, including four home runs. This marks the 13th game this season with double-figure hits and the third game of the year with four or more homers. Tied at 1-1 entering extra innings, the Rockets scored seven runs on seven hits in the eighth inning to secure the victory. Sophomore Mady Yackee threw 3.1 innings to pick up the win while Sophia Knight earned her first save of the season. Toledo has now won four of its last five games.
Knight threw her first scoreless outing of the year to help the Rockets sweep the double feature. This marked the fourth shutout win of the season for Toledo and second in conference play. Seven Rockets recorded hits while Kendra VanderLugt and Payton Abiley added RBIs to earn the first MAC series win of the season.
Game 1
Toledo got on the board first thanks to a bases loaded walk in the third, 1-0.
Ohio tied the game with a solo home run in the sixth, 1-1.
The Rockets scored seven runs on seven hits in the top of the eight to take the lead. Eliza Maloney tallied an inside-the-park homer while Madison McKay, Eli Enriquez and Audrey Miller all fired off home runs in the frame.
Ohio plated four runs in the bottom of the eighth to get within three, 8-5, but a strikeout from Sophia Knight closed the door to even the series.
Game 2
Toledo struck first, using an Ohio error to take a 2-0 lead in the third. An RBI double from Kendra VanderLugt in the fifth extended the Rockets' lead, 3-0.
In the sixth, Payton Abiley delivered an RBI single to extend Toledo's edge to 4-0.
Toledo will host Central Michigan for a doubleheader at Scott Park on Tuesday, April 15. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. with coverage on BCSN/ESPN+.
