By John Raffel
Outfielder Lacy Tolfree was happy with her transition from Heritage High School softball to Central Michigan University softball this spring.
Key moments for Tolfree this season were leading Central Michigan at the plate with three hits and two RBI in a 2-0 win over Boston College on March 7 and having two hits and two steals in a 1-0 loss to the University of Pennsylvania on March 8. She showed her speed with three stolen bases in a 7-4 victory over Eastern Michigan University on April 12 and went three for five in a 3-2 extra inning loss to Bowling Green State University on May 3.
Tolfree was an all-stater in her four years of varsity softball at Heritage. In her high school career, she hit .602.
At Central Michigan this season, she batted .263 in 156 at bats for the Chippewas, who finished with a record of 27-23.
“It went really well. I was excited with how my team did. I really enjoyed the coaches and the players and everyone in the whole atmosphere,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier.”
The speed of the game was the biggest challenge going to the Division I level, Tolfree recalls. “It was quite an adjustment, but I felt I made it pretty quickly.”
A memorable moment came in a game with Seton Hall University at San Diego in early spring. “I made a diving catch in right-center field in the top of the seventh with a runner at second,” she said. “Had it dropped, that girl would have probably scored.”
Tolfree can’t wait for 2016. “Our biggest goal as a team is to win the MAC tournament,” she said. “I know we’ll have the talent and will be strong enough.”