With the NCAA Softball Tournament approaching, the Mid-American Conference prepares to send two teams for the first time. Central Michigan earned the conference's first ever at-large bid, and Bowling Green won a spot thanks to its status as MAC Tournament champions.
The MAC began sponsoring softball in 1983. Sixty-four teams make up the tournament's field, and each regional is double-elimination.
Bowling Green (34-28) plays No. 20 Oregon State Thursday in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Falcons earned the No. 6 seed in the region.
Central Michigan (32-17), by virtue of a tough schedule and victories against two top five teams, earned a No. 7 seed and plays Alabama Thursday in the UCLA Regional in Los Angeles.
The Chippewas are no strangers to NCAA Tournament play. In 2002, they fell to Ohio State, 7-1, and defeated Oakland, 2-1, in their second game before Washington eliminated them, 4-1.
Baseball awards handed out
The MAC named its baseball Player of the Week honorees Monday for the week ending May 16.
Kent State first baseman Chad Kinyon earned East Division Player of the Week, and Akron hurler Kevin Ricciuti won Pitcher of the Week honors. Toledo outfielder Sean Dobson took player honors and Eastern Michigan's Ryan Fordtook the pitching award in the West Division.
Kinyon hit .706 (12-for-17) in a five-game stretch last week. The first baseman scored six runs and drove in seven runs. Ohio's Anthony Gressick also was nominated after hitting .316 with two home runs and driving in seven runs.
Ricciuti, a right-handed hurler, posted a 1.33 ERA and eight strikeouts in 12 innings of work last week. He pitched a career-high eight innings Sunday, while allowing only one run against Eastern Michigan.
In the West Division, Dobson scored 10 runs while striking three doubles, two triples and two home runs in five games last week. Seven of his 16 hits went for extra bases.
Ford claimed his third Player of the Week award of the year after an outstanding effort against Akron Friday. He posted his third complete-game shutout in MAC play this year. He allowed eight singles and struck out 11, a career-high. Ford also picked off two runners, upping his season total to 14.
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Mike Stafford
