Box Score
MIDLAND, Mich. ? Western Michigan softball has made it to five Mid-American Conference Tournament finals in its history ? make it six. The Broncos defeated (3) Bowling Green, 2-1, on the strength of Kristi Strange's home third-inning home run and strong efforts from Tricia VanDerSlik and Krysten Shumaker in the circle to advance to Saturday's final at Currie Stadium.
WMU (34-13) jumped out to an early lead, taking a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Katie Niemi led off the Broncos' first offensive inning with a first-pitch single down the left field line. Danielle Daughtry sacrificed her to second base and Kristi Strange gave WMU two base runners with an infield single. Amanda Heckaman, playing at first base today, advanced the runners to second and third with a groundout. Lauren Fuller earned a base on balls, loading the bases for VanDerSlik.
The senior hit a grounder to first that BGSU could not field cleanly. VanDerSlik reached first, Niemi scored, giving WMU a 1-0 lead, and Strange slipped under the tag of Gina Rango to extend the inning for the Broncos. Connie Kolokithas struck swinging to end the inning, leaving the bases full.
Bowling Green (37-23) drew even with the Broncos in the top of the third. Dawnjene DeLong smacked her second home run of the season with one out in the third to tie the score, 1-1, sending a 3-2 offering from VanDerSlik (8-6) over the wall. The Kalamazoo native shook off the hiccup, striking out Rango on four pitches and getting Desiree Miller to ground out on the first pitch she saw, ending the frame.
Strange must have been upset by losing the lead in the top of the inning and she took it out on Emily Gouge (9-2), smoking her fifth home run of the season over the left center field wall. Her round-tripper off a 1-0 pitch gave the Canby, Ore., native two dingers in as many games at this year's tournament, and gave the lead back to the Broncos, 2-1.
That lead was never in more danger than in the top of the fifth. Lindsay Heimrich led off the inning with a walk, putting the tying run aboard. Emmy Ramsey attempted a bunt but popped it up. VanDerSlik dove for the catch and missed it. Daughtry had the presence of mind to pick up the ball and throw to Sayres who was covering second to record the first out of the inning. A throwing error by Amanda McBride allowed Baca to reach and allowed Ramsey to reach second safely. DeLong advanced the runners to second and third with a ground out to first. Rango was walked on four-straight pitches, loading the bases to give WMU a force at any base. Designated player Desiree Miller hit a one-hopper back to the circle and VanDerSlik threw her out at first to end the threat, leaving the bases full of Falcons and the Broncos retained their one-run leading heading into their offensive half of the fifth inning.
Krysten Shumaker came to the circle in the top of the sixth in relief of VanDerSlik. She retired the side in order, sandwiching to fly outs to center field around a strike out. VanDerSlik ended her day with 5.0 innings of work, giving up one earned run on just two hits and struck out five.
Shumaker (5) entered her second inning of work, needing three outs for a team-best fifth save of the season. The first batter she faced was Heimrich ? she fouled out to Strange in left field. Next up was Ramsey ? she lined out to Daughtry at third. Next up was Jeanine Baca ? she lined out, appropriately to Shumaker.
As the rain poured down, so did the cheers from the well-traveled Bronco fans in attendance as Western Michigan advanced to its first MAC Tournament championship game since winning it all in 2003.
The Broncos will face (2) Kent State in the championship game, carried regionally on Comcast Local. It is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch. If you are not in the Comcast Local viewing area, you can follow the game via LiveStats on www.wmubroncos.com.
