Box Score
Overall Stats
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan jumped ahead early for the second game in a row as Amanda Heckaman hit her sixth home run of the season in the second inning but Kent State used three multi-run innings to earn a series sweep with an 11-2 win in five innings at a rain-soaked Fran Ebert Field on Sunday afternoon..
Heckaman wasted no time putting the Broncos (23-12, 11-3 MAC) on the board in the second inning, taking the first pitch she saw over the right-center field wall for a solo shot and a 1-0 WMU lead. It would be one of only two hits that Kent State (22-20, 10-5 MAC) would allow during the shortened contest.
Brittney Robinson (20-10) worked well in the circle for the second-straight day against the Brown & Gold, pitching all five innings and givin up two runs on two hits. She walked one batter, hit another and struck out nine.
The Golden Flashes scored four runs in the top of the third to answer the Broncos' second inning tally. KSU loaded the bases with no one out with a single, double and base on balls. WMU starting pitcher Kyla Sullivan (8-2) fanned Jessica Toocheck for the first out and forced Whitney Lebowitz to hit into a fielder's choice by grounding the ball to Mandi Sayres at shortstop. Sayres instinctively threw home and Becky Bartosz tagged Dani Monson for the second out. Jamie Fitzpatrick faced a 2-2 count before hitting a bases clearing triple to prolong the inning. KSU would add another run before the frame concluded.
Western Michigan answered in the bottom of the third. Sayres earned a walk and advanced to second base when Danielle Daughtry grounded out to third base. Kristi Strange reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and alert base running by Sayres allowed her to score from second base.
Kent State plated two more runs in the fourth and opened the offense with five runs in the fifth inning. Four KSU batters had mult-hit days with Kim Hamilton leading with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Fitzpatrick went 2-for-3 with three RBI, Ashley Fairhurst registered two hits in three at bats and Megan Verde was a perfect 2-for-2 with a run and two RBI.
WMU battles another Big Ten in-state rival as the Broncos travel to East Lansing, Mich., for a one game showdown with Michigan State on April 25 at 4 p.m. The Broncos return to Mid-American Conference action with their final road trip of the regular season at Akron and Ohio, April 28-30.
