BGSU softball (15-27, 7-11) fell twice in a Saturday doubleheader against the Central Michigan Chippewas (21-19, 13-5), losing 4-2 in game one and 7-0 in game two. 

Thanks to dueling victories and a Bobcat sweep of Miami (OH) over the weekend, the Chippewas have won six of their last seven games and moved up to second place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings while the Falcons lost their fourth in a row, with all games coming against teams at the top of the conference. 

Central Michigan pitching dominated, with both pitchers combining for only two earned runs and 19 strikeouts across 14 innings of work. 

Game one 

After Falcon starter Mackenzie Krafcik and Chippewa starter Brooklyn Compau went scoreless through the first, CMU struck first thanks to an error by shortstop Cameron Kaufman that allowed right fielder Keira Tolmie to reach base safely and left fielder Jenna Kuzara to score from third, making the score 1-0 at the end of two.  

A three-hit top of the third would give the Falcons a 2-1 lead after singles by first baseman Taylor Behrendt and Kaufman brought in runs, but a homer by CMU hit leader Carly Sleeman brought the game back to even after her 15th home run of the year. 

After two scoreless innings, Krafcik finally gives in to a relentless Chippewa attack and exits after putting two on base with only one out in the sixth. Freshman pitcher Morgan Beckham entered the game, attempting to get out of the jam, but she struggled with control, giving up three straight walks that scored two CMU runs before getting out of the inning. 

Central Michigan managed to hold on to their 4-2 lead in the seventh as Compau finished her second straight complete game, handing the Falcons their third straight loss.  

Game Two 

Central Michigan let loose an onslaught of offense right off the game in the latter half of the twin bill, jumping to a quick lead in the first thanks to yet another Sleeman home run that broke the single-season run batted in (RBI) record for a Chippewa player with her 48th of the season. 

Falcon starting pitcher Sydney Marshall would allow an unearned run in the second before a torrential downpour in the third inning that would see five Chippewas cross the plate safely, giving CMU a 7-0 lead thanks to a home run by first baseman Allyssa Hollo and RBI singles by Tolmie and shortstop Maddison Diekman. 

Marshall was pulled after 2.1 innings and followed up by senior Scarlet Anderson, who got only one out in 28 pitches and six batters faced before the entrance of sophomore Alyvia Roth, who shut down the inning for good.  

Redshirt sophomore Mackenzie Langan threw a gem of an outing in game two, earning her second career complete game shutout and her first against a conference opponent. 

Roth pitched well in her first outing since March 29, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings after BG allowed seven before her entrance. 

The Falcons will have the week off before heading up I-75 for a three-game set against the Toledo Rockets (13-25, 6-11), with game one on Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m. and games two and three beginning on Saturday, April 26 at 1 p.m.