MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan University used one big inning to rally for a 6-4 win over the Bowling Green State University softball team on Sunday (April 20). The game, the final contest in the teams' Mid-American Conference weekend series, was held at Margo Jonker Stadium.

The Falcons (15-30, 7-14 MAC) scored three times in the first inning, capped by a Kendall Mathews two-run triple, and BG added a run in the third.

But, the second-place Chippewas (23-19, 15-5 MAC) exploded for six runs in the fifth, and Mackenzie Langan, CMU's third pitcher of the day, made that two-run lead hold up.

Mathews and Cameron Kaufman each were 2-of-3 for the Orange and Brown on Sunday. Mathews drove in a pair of runs, as mentioned, while Kaufman scored a run and drove in a run.

BGSU-CMU  – HOW IT HAPPENED
• After scoring a total of two runs on Saturday, the Falcons plated three runs in the first inning on Sunday. Taylor Behrendt was hit by a Madelyn Wallace pitch with two outs, and the sophomore motored to third on classmate Cameron Kaufman's single to right.
• Then, freshman Ava McKee reached on an infield hit. Shortstop Maddison Diekman made a diving stop of the ball in the hole, but her throw to second was not in time to force Kaufman. Behrendt scored on the play, and both Kaufman and McKee came around to score when junior Kendall Mathews drilled a ball off the top of the wall in right for a triple.
• BGSU starter Morgan Beckham retired the side in order in the first, but the Chippewas threatened in the second. Allyssa Hollo was hit by a pitch, and she tagged and took second on a fly ball to the warning track in center by Jenna Kuzara. Grace Koenig, after a lengthy at-bat, drew a walk to put two runners on base with just one out. Then, Kiera Tolmie hit a line drive to right, but Peyton Steffes made the catch, then fired the ball to first baseman Behrendt to easily double up Koenig, for an inning-ending double play.
• The Falcons added to the lead in the third. Addie Martin led off with a single, and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Behrendt. Martin took third on a wild pitch by CMU relief pitcher Cierra Laska, then scored when a blooper by Kaufman landed in shallow left-center for a base hit.
• Central's first hit of the game when Rachel Cairo singled to center to lead off the Chippewa third, but Beckham retired the next three hitters.
• In the fourth, CMU put runners at second and third after a leadoff walk and a two-out hit, but shortstop Kaufman went a long way to catch a ball of the bat of Tolmie in foul ground down the left-field line.
• But, Central broke through in a big way in the fifth. Cairo led off with a walk, and Diekman's single put two runners aboard. CMU loaded the bases when everyone was save on an Emma Lotus sac bunt.
• Then, a fly ball by Carly Sleeman was dropped in shallow left field, allowing a pair of runs to score. London Williams followed with a single, on a ball that glanced off the top of the glove of a leaping Kaufman.
• Mackenzie Krafcik entered the circle, and got Hollo to hit a weak grounder to the right side of the infield. Behrendt fielded the ball and stepped on the first-base bag for the first out of the inning, but another run scored on the play, tying the game at 4-4.
• Kuzara drew a walk, and the ball-four pitch was high, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Krafcik struck out Koenig for the second out, but after Tolmie drew a walk, Cairo singled to score another run for the hosts.
• In the seventh, Mathews led off with a base hit, and freshman Hanna Massaro reached on a one-out bunt back toward the circle. Steffes advanced the runners to second and third on a sac bunt, but Mackenzie Langan struck out the next batter to give the hosts the victory.
• Cairo was 2-for-3 with a walk for the Chippewas, who had five hits in the game.
• Langan, the third CMU pitcher of the game, allowed just two hits in four scoreless innings to pick up the win.
• Beckham allowed four hits and three earned runs in four-plus innings of work. Krafcik allowed an unearned run in her two innings of relief.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons are idle until Friday (April 25), when BGSU will head to Scott Park to face Toledo. That game will begin at 3:00 p.m.
• And, the Falcons and Rockets will play a doubleheader at Scott Park on Saturday (April 26), beginning at 1:00 p.m. All three series games are scheduled to be aired by BCSN in the Toledo area and streamed on ESPN+.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on BGSU softball, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGAthletics and @BGSUSoftball) and Instagram (@bgsu_softball) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.