Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
Overall Stats
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan played each of their games against Buffalo on two different extremes. The first was a pitcher's duel that resulted in a walk-off single by Tricia VanDerSlik to give WMU a 1-0 victory in eight innings. The second was on outpouring of offense as the Broncos defeated the Bulls, 6-0, to sweep the double header on Friday afternoon at Fran Ebert Field.
VanDerSlik had already hit safely in two previous at bats earlier in the game. The senior was one of only two Broncos (23-10, 11-1 MAC) to record multiple hits in the opening game against Buffalo (11-34, 2-10 MAC). Katie Niemi, the other Bronco with a pair of hits in the game, led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left field. Kristi Strange walked and was pinch ran for by Samantha Vargocko. Amanda Heckaman reached on a fielding error by the first baseman to load the bases with no outs.
Kyla Sullivan was the first to have a shot at driving in the winning run but she flied out to right field and the runner on third could not tag. VanDerSlike strolled to the plate and on a 2-1 offering, lifted the ball to left field to score Niemi and secure the Broncos' 10th MAC win.
Krysten Shumaker (12-3) worked eight innings and struck out 10, giving her 144 for the season and moving her into fourth all-time for strikeouts in a season behind Laura Stewart (236 - 2004), Bonni Kinne (195 - 1984) and Jennifer Vanover (149 - 1999). She allowed four hits and did not give up a run.
As mentioned the Bronco bats came to life in the second game. WMU wasted no time, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Niemi singled to lead off the inning and one batter later, Kristi Strange smacked her league-leading 17th double down the right field line, scoring Niemi. VanDerSlike kept the inning going when she was hit by a pitch. Connie Kolokithas drove in Strange on a fielder's choice.
Western Michigan plated another run in the third. Danielle Daughtry reached on a passed ball after swinging at strike three. One pitch prior, Buffalo catcher Kim Hanzlian dropped a foul ball that would have ended Daughtry's at bat. The Parchment, Mich., native later scored from second when Amanda Gelder singled to center field. Gelder registered a pair of base hits and reached base safely in all three plate appearances in her fourth start of the season.
The Brown & Gold busted things open in the sixth, scoring three more runs. Gelder led off with her second hit of the game and two batters later, Molly Mroczek earned a pinch-hit single to left field. Mandi Sayres (2-for-3) drove in the inning's first run with a single to center, plating Nina Ojala who was running for Gelder. Niemi singled to score Mroczek. Vargocko pinch ran for Albani Shepherd, who was hit by a pitch in her only at bat, scored the final run of the frame on a wild pitch.
Sullivan (8-1) joined Shumaker in the "under-two" club as she now has an ERA of 1.93 after her second complete game of the season.
WMU welcomes Kent State (20-20, 8-5 MAC) to Fran Ebert Field on April 22-23 with Saturday's game beginning at 2 p.m. and Sunday's at 1 p.m. The Golden Flashes are coming off a split with Northern Illinois, 3-1 and 3-8.
