Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
ROCHESTER, Mich. - Western Michigan enters Mid-American Conference play on a two-game winning streak after taking a doubleheader at Oakland on Tuesday afternoon. The Broncos won both games, 3-0, but needed two additional innings to secure the sweep. A pair of Broncos each drove in two runs in the victories.
Western Michigan (8-6) used a pair of three-run innings to take care of the Golden Grizzlies (7-16). In game one, the offensive barrage came in the sixth inning. Molly Morczek began the inning with her first double of the season. Emma Luther pinch ran and advanced to second base on a sacrifice by Kristi Strange. She later scored on a passed ball.
Becky Bartosz earned an intentional walk. Bartosz finished the day 2-for-4 on the day. Amanda Gelder earned a walk and Britney Reist doubled to left field, driving in Gelder and Nina Ojala, who pinch ran for Bartosz.
Kyla Sullivan earned her fifth win of the season, working a complete game and striking out nine batters, while allowing just three hits. Oakland could never string together more than one hit in an inning against Sullivan and only advanced to second base twice during the game.
Both WMU and OU tightened up the defense in game two as both teams remained scoreless through seven innings of play. Despite collecting seven hits against the Golden Grizzlies, Western Michigan needed a three-run inning in the top of the ninth to capture its eighth win of the season.
Corey Andrzejewski was placed on second base to begin the inning. Strange moved Andrzejewski to third with a single and Amanda Heckaman recorded her only hit of the day at the biggest time, ripping a double to left field to clear the bases. Bartosz plated the Broncos' final run two batters later with a base hit to second base.
Megan Thomas picked up her third win of her rookie season and reduced her team-leading ERA to 1.30 with a complete-game victory in nine innings of work. Thomas scattered five hits, while not allowing a single run to cross the plate and not walking a batter.
Western Michigan will open its MAC season at Ebert Field this weekend when Central Michigan comes to town for a doubleheader on Friday. The Broncos then face Eastern Michigan on Saturday and Sunday.
