Softball March 30, 2007 Mat Kanan, director of athletic media relations

WMU Softball Earns Split with CMU; Takes Game Two, 4-1

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Megan Thomas earned her first win at Fran Ebert Field and fourth of the season, shutting down a Chippewa offense in the second game of Friday's doubleheader. She allowed just one run on six hits to help the Broncos to a 4-1 win after falling to Central Michigan, 5-2, in the first game.

WMU (9-7, 1-1 MAC) did its offensive damage early in game two, giving Thomas a four-run cushion after the second inning. Amanda Heckaman led off the game by being hit by a pitch. Jenna Stuppy then reached on a fielder's choice as the Chippewas (11-12, 1-1 MAC) elected to tag Heckaman out at second. Becky Bartosz drew a walk, followed by Sarah Thomas reaching on a fielding error, which scored Stuppy from second base.

Amanda McBride reached on a fielding error by the first baseman to allow her to advance to second base, Thomas to third and allowed Bartosz to score. Mandi Sayres stepped to the plate and on the first pitch ripped a single to right center field to empty the bases. Sayres was the only Bronco to multiple RBI on Friday afternoon.

The rest of game two was fairly quiet for both teams thanks to strong pitching from Thomas and Jill DeRoche who entered the game in the second inning for CMU starter Kari Seddon.

Thomas worked her fourth complete game of her rookie campaign and lowered team-leading ERA to 1.01. She struck out only two batters but also only walked one. Central Michigan, despite scoring the one run on a lead-off triple followed by a single up the middle, threatened one inning prior when the Chippewas had the bases loaded with one out. Thomas was able to get a pair of ground-ball outs to preserve the lead.

Bartosz and Amanda Gelder also recorded hits in a game where WMU was out hit by three but captured a three-run win due to three CMU errors.

The first game of the day looked as if it too would go Western Michigan's way. Neither starting pitcher was giving an inch as the game was scoreless heading into the top of the fifth. CMU opened with a baserunner due to a walk, who advanced on a sacrifice bunt. The runner scored on a Stephanie Crews triple to take a1-0 lead.

WMU answered via Kyla Sullivan. The junior pitcher helped her own cause by wrapping a double to left field on a 2-2 pitch from starter Ali Pettit. Nina Ojala pinch ran for Sullivan and she advanced to third base on an Amanda McBride single to right field just over the first baseman's outstretched glove. Sayres grounded out but advanced McBride and Molly Mroczek followed with a ground out that scored Ojala. Kristi Strange stepped into the box and took a 1-1 offering to right field to score McBride and give the Broncos a one-run lead heading into the top of the seventh.

Central Michigan's first batter of the inning flied out and the next reached on a fielding error. The third batter also flied out as well. WMU almost doubled up the base runner on first but the throw struck the runner in the helmet and the inning continued. Seddon took a 2-2 pitch back up the middle to tie the game and then the flood gates opened. The Chippewas scored four runs in the inning on three hits and one error to take the conference opener.

Western Michigan, which also lost its first Mid-American Conference game in 2006 en route to the regular season title and a berth in the tournament championship game, welcomes Eastern Michigan to Ebert Field on Saturday and Sunday.

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