Rockets Down Chippewas 6-3 in MAC Championship Opener

Wednesday, May 8

Akron, Ohio

Noon

University of Toledo

26-21

No. 5 Central Michigan

16-32

Central Michigan

Toledo

Toledo celebrated its first postseason win under head coach Jessica Bracamote in a 6-3 victory over Central Michigan at Firestone Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Photo by: Bree Bee

Rockets Down Chippewas 6-3 in MAC Championship Opener

5/8/2024 3:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score MAC_GM1 (BOX)

No. 4 seed Toledo advances to play No. 1 seed Miami on Thursday at noon

AKRON, Ohio – The No. 4 seed Toledo softball team took down No. 5 seed Central Michigan, 6-3, to open the 2024 Mid-American Conference Softball Championships and advance to the winners bracket in the double-elimination tournament. The win is also the first post-season victory for second-year head coach Jessica Bracamonte.

Senior Jenna Kroll led off the second inning with a home run that ignited a four-run frame that gave Toledo all the runs it needed. It was Kroll's 26^th career homer, putting her three away from breaking the Toledo record set by Dayna Denner in 2022. Central Michigan scored once in the fourth and twice in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-3. Junior Eli Enriquez hit an RBI triple to make it 6-3 in the bottom of the inning and that would hold up as the final score.

"Incredibly proud of the grit and energy that we played with today," Bracamonte said. "They were aggressive from start to finish in the circle, on the field, and at the plate and it paid off for us in big ways. It was great to see them playing for each other and having so much fun."

Junior Sophia Knight (15-10) allowed three hits and one run in 4.0 innings pitched for the win. Freshman Mady Yackee came in as relief and gave up two runs on just one hit in 3.0 innings in the circle.

Enriquez led the offense with three hits, including her sixth triple of the season, and two RBIs. Senior Emily Bracamonte added two hits, including one double, and Kroll's homer was her seventh of the year.

Toledo (26-21, 15-10 MAC) will play No.1 seed Miami (45-7, 26-1 MAC) tomorrow at noon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Toledo 6, Central Michigan 3

Central Michigan's Abbey Tolmie tried to score from second base on a two-out single, but left fielder Lauren Erickson gunned her down at the plate to end the first inning.
Jenna Kroll sent the first pitch of the second inning over the fence, igniting the Toledo offense. Back-to-back RBI singles from Maris Barbato and Madison Mikulski, and a sacrifice fly from Emily Bracamonte gave Toledo a 4-0 lead.
Skylar Coberley got the Chippewas on the board off a fielding error in the fourth.
An RBI double from Eli Enriquez pushed Toledo ahead 5-1 in the fourth.
CMU's Alyssa Hollo hit a two-run homer in the sixth.
Enriquez hit an RBI triple to increase the Rockets' lead in the sixth to 6-3.