Softball | April 02, 2018
KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The Western Michigan softball team (17-14) will play a doubleheader at home against rival Central Michigan on Tuesday, April 3 beginning at 1 p.m. Admission to all home WMU softball games is free.
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BRING OUT THE BROOMS
The Brown & Gold is now 4-2 in Mid-American Conference play after a three-game sweep of Bowling Green, defeating the Falcons 1-0, 5-3 (8 inn.) and 14-1 (5 inn.). In the series, the Bronco pitching staff only surrendered four runs on 13 hits and recorded a shutout in the opening game of the series. WMU outscored the Falcons 20-4 over the three games, batting .312 with eight extra base hits including a home run. The 14 runs scored by the Broncos Saturday tied as the second most by the team this season. It was the fifth time in 2018 WMU has produced double-digit runs.
MACKENZIE IN THE CLUTCH
Swinehart batted .600 over the series against Bowling Green and doubled in all three games. She came through with the game-winning hit not once, but twice in the series, driving in the winning runs in game one and two on Friday. Swinehart went 3-for-3 at the plate in game one and delivered the winning RBI with a two-out double in the fifth. Swinehart repeated her heroics in game two with another two-out double, scoring two runs in the top of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. In game three's 14-1 five inning victory, she went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI single and two runs scored. In midweek non-conference action, Swinehart also picked up a single at Michigan State, giving her seven total hits and a .538 batting average over the four roads games this past week. With her performance last week she shot her season batting average up from .347 to .368, which is currently a team high and ranks in the top 10 in the conference.
FAULTERSACK STAYS HOT
Junior infielder
Jenna Faultersack is currently on an eight-game hitting streak which ties as the second longest of any Bronco this season. Faultersack is leading the team with a .465 on base percentage and for the season is batting .308 with nine RBIs, two home runs and 16 runs scored. In Sunday's game three against Bowling Green she hit her second career home run, which was a three-run shot in the first inning that helped the Broncos jump out to an early lead. In game one, she scored the game-winning run in a 1-0 victory after leading off the top of the fifth with a single.
MACTION
WMU currently is in third place in the West Division with a Ball State and Toledo ahead of them by one game. In conference play the Broncos are hitting .343 as a team and have a 2.08 team ERA. The Brown & Gold are out-scoring (39 to 14) and out-hitting (58 to 34) their league opponents.
THE OPPONENT
Central Michigan is coming into the series with a 13-15 overall record and a 3-3 MAC record. The Chippewas are coming off a three-game sweep of Miami. During conference play, Central Michigan has a team batting average of .302 and an ERA of 3.07. Both Lacy Tolfree (.422) and Erika Underwood (.418) have batting averages that rank in the top 100 in the nation. Underwood leads the Chippewas in home runs (6) and RBIs (20). Hanna Warren has the most wins by any Central Michigan pitcher with four. Warren has a 2.82 ERA off 73 hits and 27 earned runs.
LEITKE RECORDS NO. 700 vs. CMU
WMU head coach
Kathy Leitke's 700th career win came last season came against Central Michigan in the MAC Tournament as the No. 8 seeded Broncos upset the No. 1 seeded Chippewas, 3-1 in WMU's opening game of the bracket. The Broncos would also go on to defeat No. 7 seed Akron and finished as one of the final four teams in the tournament. Leitke's alma mater is Central Michigan, having earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from CMU in 1985.
MEET THE TEAM / AUTOGRAPH DAY THIS WEEKEND VS. AKRON
Western Michigan welcomes Akron this weekend, April 7 & 8, for a three-game MAC series. Game one is Friday at 3 p.m., followed by two games Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. Players will be available after the games to sign autographs and meet with fans.
2018 ALUMNI DAY
Alumni Day ceremonies will be held between Game 1 and Game 2 of the home doubleheader vs. Eastern Michigan on May 5. Game 1 begins at 1 p.m.
2018 STRIKEOUT CANCER GAMES
The annual StrikeOut Cancer games will be held on April 21 vs. Toledo, with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. WMU Softball will collect donations during the doubleheader and ppecial uniforms will be auctioned off to raise money in an effort to support Bronson Children's Hospital. All proceeds will be go to Bronson Children's Hospital.
