Tuesday’s Softball Results
Ohio 12, Pittsburgh 2 (5 inn.)
Toledo 5, Michigan State 3
Western Michigan 16, Oakland 13
Western Michigan 9, Oakland 2
Butler 7, Ball State 6
Marshall 5, Miami 4
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Ohio 12, Pittsburgh 2 (5 inn.)
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio softball team (20-11) returned to action Tuesday evening (March 24), defeating Pitt (17-13), 12-2 in five innings, picking up its second win over an ACC opponent this season.
Overall, Ohio scored 12 runs on 11 hits and committed one error, while Pitt scored two runs on two hits and committed one error.
At the plate, junior Izzie Wilson (Delaware, Ohio) led the Bobcats, going 2-for-3 with a triple, home run, four RBI and two runs scored. Senior Shelby Westler (Marion, Ohio) went 2-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored, while senior Belle Hummel (Cincinnati, Ohio) went 2-for-2 with a double, RBI, two runs and two walks. Sophomore Jordyn Wycuff (Pataskala, Ohio) went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and one RBI. Graduate student Rylee McDaniel (Ventura, Calif.) added a double, two RBI and a run scored, while sophomore Alexis Book (Chillicothe, Ohio) added a double, RBI and a run scored. Junior Brenna Farmer (Mt. Blanchard, Ohio) registered one hit and scored one run for the Bobcats.
In the circle, graduate student Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio) got the start, picking up the win, throwing five innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits, walked three and struck out four.
Pitt got on the board first in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on an error with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead entering the bottom of the first. Ohio responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. After Hummel reached on a leadoff double, she would score on a sacrifice fly from Westler to tie the game. Moments later, an RBI triple from Wilson and an RBI single from Wycuff gave Ohio a 3-1 lead. The Bobcats were not done, and after a walk put two runners on with two outs, a two-RBI double from McDaniel put Ohio up 5-1. After a Pitt pitching change, Book took the first pitch she saw and crushed it to left field for a double, giving Ohio a 6-1 lead entering the second inning.
After a scoreless top of the second from Pitt, Ohio added on in the bottom of the frame after a three-run home run from Wilson gave Ohio a 9-1 lead entering the third inning. After Pitt cut the Ohio lead to 9-2 in the top of the third, Ohio threatened again in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out. However, the Pitt defense was able to work out of the jam, keeping the score 9-2 entering the fourth inning.
After Pitt stranded a runner in the top of the fourth, the Bobcats added on in the bottom of the frame. After Ohio loaded the bases with one out, Hummel drew a walk to put the Bobcats up 10-2. Then with two outs, a two-RBI single through the left side from Westler, put Ohio up 12-2 entering the top of the fifth inning.
Pitt looked to extend the game in the top of the fifth inning, starting the inning off with a walk. However, Miller and the Ohio defense would retire the next three batters, securing the 12-2 win.
Up next, the Bobcats are back to MAC play March 27-28 when the host Central Michigan for a three-game series. The series begins on Friday, March 27 at 3 p.m. ET at the Ohio Softball Field and can be seen on ESPN+.
Toledo 5, Michigan State 3
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Sophomore Samantha Bolding crushed a two-run homer in the sixth inning to help the Toledo softball team pick up a 5-3 win over Michigan State on Tuesday night in East Lansing, Mich.
The Rockets picked up their third-consecutive win and their seventh victory in their last nine outings. This also marks UT's third-straight win over Michigan State as the Rockets tallied 5-3 (9 innings) and 6-5 wins over the Spartans at Scott Park in 2025. Bracamonte owns a 3-0 record against Michigan State, her alma mater, as a head coach.
Toledo cranked out 11 hits, marking its fifth-consecutive game with double-figure hits and seventh overall on the season.
Bolding paced the offense, going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs. Bolding's homer was her seventh of the season and 19
th of her career, moving her into eighth all-time in program history. Freshman Jenna Gober went 3-for-4 at the plate, notching her fourth multi-hit outing of the season.
Freshman Lexi Johnson earned the start in the circle, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing just three runs on six hits to pick up her first collegiate victory. Junior Katie McDonald appeared in relief, tossing one inning and giving up no runs for her second career save.
Toledo struck first, plating two runs off of an error and a fielder's choice, in the top of the first, 2-0.
The Spartans got within one with a run in the third, 2-1.
The Rockets plated three runs in the top of the sixth, thanks to a two-run homer from Samantha Bolding, 5-1.
Michigan State responded in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs to cut the lead to 5-3, Katie McDonald ended the frame with a strikeout to secure UT's win.
Toledo will host Ball State for a three-game series at Scott Park this weekend. The battle between the Rockets and the Cardinals will start on Friday at 3:00 p.m.
Western Michigan 16, Oakland 13 | Box Score
Western Michigan 9, Oakland 2 | Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan softball team overcame a seven-run deficit and led for all of the second game in a doubleheader win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 16-13 and 9-2.
The Broncos combined for 27 hits and 25 runs across two games on Tuesday afternoon at Ebert Field, moving their season record to above .500 at 14-13. Along with connecting on almost 30 hits over the afternoon, WMU had six home runs and six other multi-base hits while setting a new season high for home runs in a game with four in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Brown and Gold's offense on Tuesday was led by Bella Duncan with six hits on nine at-bats and adding 8 RBIs. Five pitchers appeared in the circle for Western Michigan with sophomore Kaylee Sayler and MAC Pitcher of the Week Hannah Potts recording the two wins.
Oakland came out of the gate swinging in the first game of the day, scoring six runs on five hits in the first inning. The Grizzlies added on to their lead in the top of the third with a single and a throwing error to have the Broncos facing a seven-run deficit going into the bottom of the third. WMU's offense started to come alive in the third, scoring its first runs of the day on a single and a double from catcher Jordan Smith and outfielder Rylee O'Brien.
The Brown and Gold's defense held Oakland scoreless to begin the fourth before having another big inning at the plate. Western Michigan almost batted through its order in the bottom of the fourth as three Broncos had hits, scoring four runs. Heading into the fifth inning, WMU had erased most of the Grizzlies lead, making it only a one run game.
Oakland responded on offense in the fifth, scoring on a two-run homer and a stand-up triple to push its lead up to four runs. But the Grizzlies multiple run lead only lasted five at bats into the bottom of the fifth inning when Duncan hit her sixth home run of the season to right center. Duncan's home run brought three Brown and Gold players across home plate, again making it just a one run game with only two innings left.
Western Michigan's defense had its first 1-2-3 inning of the day in the top of the sixth, keeping Oakland's offense quiet. The Broncos offense was then able to take advantage in the bottom of the sixth, batting through their entire lineup and then some. Despite a strikeout to begin the half inning, a solo home run for Smith tied the game at 10 runs each.
WMU's next seven batters all reached base, with five runners scoring to give the Brown and Gold their first lead of the afternoon at 15-10. Western Michigan added one more run before the end of the sixth with a single down the right field line for infielder Analeez Niles. But the Grizzlies weren't going to go down without a fight, as their first three batters of the seventh inning reached base.
Oakland quickly scored three runs after reaching base. A sacrifice fly followed by a double to right center cut the Bronco lead down to only three runs. But relief pitcher Hannah Potts locked in as she faced the final two batters of the game, striking out both, to help WMU to its 16-13 win over the Grizzlies. The Brown and Gold used four pitchers in their first game with junior Casey Fazzini spending the most time in the circle with 3.2 innings pitched while Salyer earned the win in her 1.2 innings, allowing only three hits while striking out a batter.
Western Michigan kept its offensive firepower going in the second game, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Niles had her first of two home runs in the back half of the doubleheader in the opening inning. The solo shot gave the Broncos an early 1-0 lead that they added onto in the second inning.
After two WMU players were hit by a pitch back-to-back, a failed pickoff attempt resulted in the team's second run of the game. The Brown and Gold then loaded the bases two at-bats later as shortstop Caitlin Tighe and Niles were walked in succession. Oakland put in a new pitcher after Niles walk, but a wild pitch from the reliever scored Western Michigan's third run.
The Broncos had one of only two innings where they went down in order in the third. But WMU bounced right back in the fourth inning with a lead-off double from outfielder Emily Lampela. The Brown and Gold added on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice bunt and two back-to-back home runs.
Niles had her second home run in as many at-bats while Jordan Smith also had her second home run of the day after putting one over the Ebert Field fence in the first game of the afternoon. Going into the fifth inning Western Michigan held a 7-0 advantage with only five half innings to go. The Grizzlies did break their shutout in the top of the fifth with a home run of their own, making it a 7-2 game.
The Broncos didn't score in the top of the fifth but did find two more runs in the sixth. Back at the top of the order, Duncan led off with a single to left. She was soon brought home by Tighe who hit WMU's fourth home run of the game past the left center wall. The Brown and Gold held onto their 9-2 lead in the top of the seventh as Oakland was retired in order, winning the second game for the series sweep.
Potts earned the victory in the circle for Western Michigan, pitching 5.0 innings while striking out seven batters. Duncan pitched the final two innings for the Broncos, facing six batters, none of which reached base. Duncan was also one of three WMU batters with a team-high two hits. Niles and O'Brien added multiple hits while Niles led the team in RBIs with three.
The Brown and Gold will continue their homestand later this week as they return to conference play. Western Michigan will host the Akron Zips for a three-game series at Ebert Field starting on Friday, March 27. Akron currently leads the MAC with a 5-1 conference record, which the Broncos will try to change starting at 3 p.m. on Friday.
