Box Score
Overall Stats
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Katie Niemi led off the game with her third career home run and Becky Bartosz drove in what turned out to be the decisive run in WMU's 2-1 win over Michigan State at Old College Field on Tuesday. The victory evens the Broncos record against the Big Ten at two wins and two losses.
Niemi began the day with her third round-trip shot of the season to give Western Michigan (24-12, 11-3 MAC) a very early 1-0 lead over in-state rival Michigan State (32-19, 8-6 Big Ten). The Broncos added a run in the second inning to take a two-run advantage into the bottom of the seventh.
Tricia VanDerSlik led off the second frame with a single to right field. Connie Kolokithas advanced her fellow senior with a ground out to second base. Bartosz stepped to the plate and singled to right field as well. The base hit scored VanDerSlik from second. Bartosz would advance to second on a Mandi Sayres base knock but would be stranded.
The Broncos went down in order in the third but had a pair of base runners in the fourth when Kolokithas reached on a fielder's choice and Bartosz recorded her second hit of the game. The sophomore finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate against the Spartans.
Kristi Strange knocked a two-out single to left field but was stranded there when Amanda Heckaman ended the fifth inning on a strike out. WMU went down in order in the sixth but had another chance to add to its lead in the seventh when Niemi wrapped a two-out double, going to 2-for-4 on the day, to keep the inning alive. Amanda Gelder, pinch-hitting for Danielle Daughtry, could not drive in the Broncos' third run as she grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.
Michigan State was held to just three hits during the game as Krysten Shumaker (13-4) picked up another complete game victory. The sophomore hurler fanned eight and now has 161 punch outs this season.
The Spartans threatened in the third when the first two batters reached on an error and a single, respectively. With runners on first and second and only one out, Nicole Mercado reached on a fielder's choice but Sayres threw Gina Mondo out at home plate. Amy Szawara ended the inning by striking out.
MSU recorded its second hit in the fifth when Kara Weigle bunted for a single. She would be stranded at first base as the next three batters went down in succession. The Spartans plated their only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Dayna Feenstra reached on a fielding error by Sayres and advanced to second on the play. She was pinch ran for by Megan Hair, who later scored on a double off the bat of Weigle.
Michigan State brought the winning run to the plate twice over the next two batters. Dana Rosenblatt struck out swinging for the second out and Jenny Poff hit a ground ball to Heckaman who threw it to VanDerSlik for the 4-3 put out to end the game.
Western Michigan returns to Mid-American Conference action April 28 when the Broncos travel to Athens, Ohio for a twin bill against the Ohio Bobcats. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. WMU will then travel north on I-77 for a battle with the MAC East leading Akron Zips on April 29-30.
