Sports

Ohio Softball comeback sends Chippewas back home in thrilling offensive battle

By: Lindsey Crawford
Posted on: Friday, May 8, 2026

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AKRON, Ohio (WOUB) — After a loss in a close contest to Akron in the MAC tournament, the Bobcats would return for their second game of the day facing the Central Michigan Chippewas. Ohio conquered CMU in the first round of the tournament, 9-3. But after beating former MAC Champion Miami, the Chippewas would receive their second chance with the opportunity to send the Bobcats back to Athens. Unfortunately for CMU, they would fall to Ohio in a thrilling offensive battle, 15-13. 

With Skipp Miller back in the captain’s seat to begin the matchup, Central Michigan would figure out her arm and add two runs to the scoreboard. Miller quickly shut down their advances to take the Bobcats into the bottom.  

At the plate, the Bobcat offense would explode, tallying six runs throughout the inning and cycling through their entire batting line up. Their tear would start with a Shelby Westler single to bat-in Belle Hummel. An Izzie Wilson double would send home Brenna Farmer and Colleen Bare to take the lead 3-2. Back-to-back homers from Sydney Young and Jordyn Wycuff would up the score again, 6-2. 

Into the second, Keegan Moore would take the place of Miller on the mound. Throughout the game, Ohio would empty their entire bullpen before circling back to Miller in the top of the fifth.  

With Moore on the mound, CMU would muster two more runs, courtesy of a Tori Briggs double. In the bottom, a Farmer homer would be responsible for Ohio’s sole run of the inning. 

Although no scoring in the third, Hummel would break the MAC record for most hits in a season, totaling 88 and counting, with a double out to center field. Then later, she would break another record for most runs in a season currently sitting at 78. 

“She’s the best player in the MAC,” said Ohio head coach Jenna Hall. “We’ve been fighting for her for that all year, and obviously the accolades didn’t come through on that end. But that kid is the best kid in the MAC.”

In the fourth, Ohio and Central Michigan would trade runs, each adding another to the scoreboard with the Bobcats still leading 8-5. 

The top of the fifth would be the Chippewas breakout inning, as they would take a massive 13-8 lead. London Williams would set the pace for the inning with a combined four RBI. She’d hit a homer early on, batting in herself and Grace Koenig. After cycling through CMU’s batting roster, back at the plate, Williams would single down the right-field line, allowing Koenig and Alexa Carter to find home plate. 

The Bobcats would hang on in the bottom courtesy of a Bare homer, sending home herself and Hummel.  

In the top of the sixth, Miller would make quick work of the Chippewas, allowing no runs and no hits. With bases loaded in the bottom, a Rylee McDaniel double would add three more runs to the board, effectively closing the gap and tying the game at thirteen. Ohio would then take the lead off of a Bare single, which would bring home both Hummel and McDaniel. With the game back in Bobcat control, Miller would quickly close out the night, allowing just one hit in the seventh. With the thrilling 15-13 victory, the Bobcats live to see another day in the MAC Tournament. 

“I just think overall the conversation is consistently that we are never out of it,” Hall said. “I think for us it’s a matter of always having that belief late in the game. When you’ve got the players that we have, that can do the things they can do on offense, I think we never believe we are out of it.”

The Bobcats will take the field again Friday at 2:30 to face the Northern Illinois Huskies.