Box Score

KALAMAZOO (May 6) -- Championships are never easy to come by, as the Western Michigan softball team learned on Saturday.

Lauren Fuller's solo home run in the bottom eighth lifted WMU to a 6-5 victory over Toledo, securing the Mid-American Conference Regular Season Championship for the Broncos.

Kathy Leitke's club had to go into extra innings to clinch the title.  The Broncos were one pitch away in the top seventh when UT's Denise Van Vossen reached first on a bunt single.  Leslie Stong then connected on the Rockets' third homer of the day to even the score at 6-6.

"It wasn't a pretty win, but we'll take it," said Leitke, whose team reached the 30-win plateau for the third time in four seasons. "I thought we showed good energy and focus and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end.  It's just another step for us on the ladder of goals we want to accomplish."

Almost lost in the dramatic finish was the performance of Bronco pitcher Krysten Shumaker, who fanned 16 batters in a complete game effort.  Sierra Pereira took the loss for the Rockets, relieving starter Stephanie Moore in the fifth inning.

Beside Fuller's game-winning blast, the Broncos were led offensively by Danielle Daughtry, who went 2-for-2 and drove in a pair of runs.

Western Michigan (30-13 overall, 17-4 MAC) closes its regular season tomorrow against Toledo in a 1:00 p.m. start from Ebert Field.