Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
Overall Stats
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Krysten Shumaker fanned 13 batters in the opener and the Bronco offense exploded for 11 runs on nine hits in the second game as WMU softball defeated Oakland, 1-0, in eight innings, and, 11-1, in five innings on Tuesday at Fran Ebert Field.
Quiet Bronco (12-7) bats in the opener put the weight on Shumaker's (6-2) shoulders and she carried the load for 8.0 innings and 139 pitches, striking out a baker's dozen and scattering three hits. Oakland's (6-11) starter Laura Chomokos (4-4) was equally up to the task. She struck out six Broncos and scattered five hits giving up the one unearned run in the last of the eighth.
Amanda Heckaman drew a walk to open the extra frame and Samantha Vargocko pinch ran. Lauren Fuller doubled to left center and Vargocko advanced to third. The Grizzlies intentionally walked Tricia VanDerSlik to load the bases. Connie Kolokithas drove a ball to left field but it was not deep enough to score Vargocko. Becky Bartosz hit an infield fly to third base. Freshman Mandi Sayres stepped to the plate with two outs and the winning run anxiously awaiting the next pitch. Sayres delivered, ripping a 1-1 pitch to the shortstop, which she bobbled, allowing Sayres to reach, Vargocko to score and WMU to win.
The second game would not be as dramatic as Western Michigan busted out for seven runs on five hits in the third inning and four more runs on four more hits in the fourth. Starting pitcher Kyla Sullivan (3-1) starting things off innocently enough for the Broncos as she earned a lead-off base on balls - then the flood gates opened. Kolokithas reached on a fielding error and Sayres doubled to left to score Corey Andrejewski, pinch running for Sullivan, and Kolokithas. The freshman ended her day 2-for-6 with three RBI and a run scored.
WMU was not done yet in the third. Katie Niemi and Kristi Strange both sandwiched singles around Danielle Daughtry's fielder's choice. Niemi's base knock drove in Sayres from second base. She later scored on Strange's single from second base. Heckaman singled to left and VanDerSlik drew a walk. When it was all said and done, the Broncos had batted around in the inning and Sullivan and Kolokithas stepped to the plate twice for at bats.
The Brown & Gold did not let up in the fourth as the reserves weighed in. Jenna Stuppy, one of five pinch hitters in the inning, singled to start the Broncos offense again. Molly Mroczek earned a walk and, with the bases juiced, Amanda Gelder wrapped a bases clearing double into right center. Emma Luther was the last pinch hitter to reach base in the inning, ripping a single down the left field line on a 1-2 pitch.
Sullivan earned her third victory, working four innings and allowing just one hit and striking out a trio of Grizzlies. Vargocko scored three runs on the day, while Gelder joined Sayres with three RBI apiece. Strange and Niemi were the other two Broncos to have multi-hit days, going 2-for-4 and 2-for-6, respectively.
Western Michigan opens the Mid-American Conference season with a doubleheader at Eastern Michigan on March 31 when the Broncos will face the Eagles at Varsity Field. WMU then travels to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. where it will be anything but when the team takes the field against Central Michigan on April 1-2. The Broncos return to Fran Ebert Field on April 4 with a rematch doubleheader with defending national champion No. 13 Michigan at 3 p.m.
