Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. - Western Michigan went into this past weekend's Kajikawa Classic at Arizona State, knowing it would be facing some of the top-ranked teams in the country.  After a five-inning shutout of Syracuse, 8-0, the Broncos come back to Kalamazoo with a 3-2 record heading into their next spring tournament.

Western Michigan scored eight runs on seven hits in five innings to shut down the Orange.  Seven different Broncos recorded its during the game.  Molly Mroczek and Brittney Reist provided the power in the win, each slamming a home run in the contest.  Mroczek's came in the top of the first inning with one out and no one aboard.  That run ended up being the winner.

WMU tacked on another run in the third when Amanda Heckaman drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Amanda McBride, who opened the frame with a base on balls as well.  Two of the Broncos four walks earned during the game came in the third inning.

The offense sealed the deal in the top of the fifth.  With one out, Mroczek singled and was replaced on the base path by freshman Sarah Thomas.  Kristi Strange knocked a single and was followed by a base hit from Heckaman, which scored Thomas.  Jenna Stuppy wrapped a base hit up the middle to clear the bases, driving in two more runs.  Becky Bartosz drew a walk, setting the table for Reist's second three-run home run in as many days.

Along with all of the offense, Kyla Sullivan turned in her third complete-game victory of the trip, shutting down the Orange and allowing just a pair of hits.  Syracuse led off the bottom of the first and second innings with singles but could nothing with them as SU had just one base runner reach second base and did not get another batter on base until the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Nicole Miller reached on an error.