Softball Wraps Up Regular Season at Home

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FINAL MAC ACTION: The Eastern Michigan University softball team (19-29, 5-13 MAC) wraps up the regular season at home, hosting the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University this weekend at Varsity Field. First up is a twinbill with the Rockets, Friday, May 1 at 1 p.m. EMU will then host Bowling Green in single games, set for Saturday, May 2 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, May 3 at 1 p.m. The final spot in the MAC Tournament is up for grabs this weekend, with Toledo and Bowling Green, as well as Buffalo, featuring the same 6-12 record in MAC action, while the Eagles are right behind with a 5-13 mark.

ROCKET REPORT: The Eagles and Rockets (8-34, 6-12 MAC) have already squared off twice this season in non-conference action at the Highlander Classic. In the first contest, sophomore pitcher Jaclyn Caro pitched a shutout, blanking the Rockets, 3-0 (March 21). In the second game, the Eagles were once again victorious, 5-1 (March 22). After winning only one of its first 22 contests, Toledo has won seven of the last 20. UT is led offensively by reigning MAC Player of the Week Brie Ford, who has a .302 batting average with 11 RBI, 11 stolen bases and three home runs. Brooke Gates leads the Rockets with 13 RBI and six home runs to go along with a .220 average. Hannah Rockhold anchors the pitching rotation, pitching 119.0 innings with a 6-15 record and 4.65 ERA.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS: Bowling Green enters this weekend's contests with an 11-29 (6-12 MAC) record and will take on Central Michigan before heading to Ypsilanti for two single games with the Eagles. Hayley Wiemer leads the Falcon attack, boasting a .337 batting average with eight home runs and 27 RBI to go along with a 9-21 record and 2.90 ERA in the circle. The two teams faced off three times last season, with Bowling Green winning two out of the three contests.

MID-WEEK RECAP: The Eagles once again had to cancel their doubleheader with Oakland, leaving only a twinbill with Detroit on the mid-week agenda. The Eagles secured a 5-2, come-from-behind victory in the first contest before run-ruling the Titans, 12-2 in five innings, in the nightcap. Stacie Skodinski had a three-run shot in the first contest, along with Lauren Delapaz's first home run of the season to propel the Eagles to the win. In the second game, Jenny Scherer racked up five RBI on two home runs to help EMU to the sweep. Scherer now has 11 longballs on the year and 33 in her career.

HAN TO BE HONORED ON SUNDAY: Senior Heather Han will be honored as part of Senior Day prior to Sunday's contest against Bowling Green. Han, the team's lone senior, has been a part of 91 victories during her time in the Green and White. In 2007, she helped lead the Eagles to their first MAC West Division and MAC Tournament Titles to clinch an NCAA berth. The catcher from Lafayette, Ind. is a career .258 hitter with 30 doubles (seventh all-time), 13 home runs (seventh all-time) and 73 RBI. She was named to the 2006 MAC All-Freshman team, has been a two-time MAC Player of the Week and was picked as MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week earlier this season.

ALUMNI DAY SET FOR SATURDAY: The Eastern Michigan University softball team will welcome back alumni, Saturday against Bowling Green. There will be a meeting prior to the contest and all alumni in attendance will be recognized during the game.

PRESIDENT PITCH, TAKE TWO: EMU President Sue Martin was scheduled to throw out the first pitch, April 7, when the Eagles were supposed to host Oakland. Due to a snowfall that left about four inches of snow in the Ypsilanti area, the game was postponed. President Martin will now throw out the first pitch Sunday, May 3, when the Eagles wrap up the regular season against Bowling Green.

WELCOME HOME: Illinois native Michelle Hletko came up big in the Eagles' 9-8 win over NIU. Hletko pitched 4.1 innings of relief to pick up the win, while going 2-for-2 at the plate and knocking in the first run of her career against the Huskies.

CARO HITS DOUBLE DIGITS: For the first time in her career, sophomore Jaclyn Caro hit double digits in strikeouts. In a 4-5, nine-inning loss at Northern Illinois, Caro fanned 10 batters to establish a new career high. Her previous mark was seven, which she accomplished four times.

TOLLIVER COMING ON AT THE END: After hitting just .172 with three doubles and six RBI through the first 37 games of the season, freshman first baseman Kaylee Tolliver has come on strong at the end. In the last eight games, the freshman is batting .500 with two doubles and two home runs to go along with nine RBI and a .808 slugging percentage. Her recent hot streak has brought her average up to .248 and she is now tied for fourth on the team with 15 RBI.

KNOCK CANCER OUT OF THE PARK A HUGE SUCCESS: The Eagles raised almost $4,000 in an effort to “Knock Cancer Out of the Park” this past weekend against Buffalo. In a home run derby following the game, Kaylee Tolliver (10) and Heather Han (9) led the way for the Green and White, while head coach Karen Baird, Jenny Scherer and McKenna Russ all knocked seven out of the park. The Eagles exceeded their goal for the year and will be raising their goal for next year while adding some more events in the fall. The team will continue to sell bracelets ($5) and t-shirts ($10) for the remainder of the season.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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