Bronco Softball Uses a Five-Run Fourth to Defeat CMU, 8-3

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. - Katie Niemi and Kristi Strange homered for the first time this season as WMU improved to 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference with an 8-3 win at Central Michigan on Saturday. Niemi, Strange and Becky Bartosz recorded two hits apiece in the victory.

Western Michigan (14-8, 2-1 MAC) exploded for five runs in the fourth inning to take control of today's game against the Chippewas (10-16, 2-1 MAC) and moved into a first-place tie with CMU as a result.

Krysten Shumaker (8-2) flexed her muscle in with six innings of shutout work from the circle. She increased her streak of innings without giving up an earned run to 35.0 and increased her scoreless innings streak to 22.0. Shumaker fanned five Chippewas, while scattering just four hits.

Bartosz, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, began things offensively for the Broncos in the fourth with a double to left center field that scored Tricia VanDerSlik and Connie Kolokithas. CMU made its first of three pitching changes of the afternoon and Mandi Sayres promptly followed with a single to right field. Bartosz was thrown out at home, with Niemi ready to step to the plate. She belted her first dinger of the season, scoring Sayres and giving WMU a 4-0 lead. Danielle Daughtry followed with a two-out single and was later driven in by Strange who smacked a double through the left side. When the dust had settled on the inning, Western Michigan had plated five runs on six hits.

The Broncos added three more runs, scoring one in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Strange stroked her first home run of the year with one out and the bases empty in the sixth. Strange finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate. Niemi drove in her third run of the day with a single to left center field, finishing the day 2-for-5 at the dish with three RBI. Melissa Brink drove in WMU's final run of the day with a double down the left field line to score Niemi.

The MAC West Division now has three teams atop the standings as WMU, EMU and CMU stand at 2-1 in conference play. The Broncos and Chippewas take the field on April 2 at 1 p.m. from the CMU Softball Complex.

Print Friendly Version