Box Score
DeKALB, Ill. - Western Michigan received late-inning heroics from its offense and another complete-game performance in the circle to claim a 4-2 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday at Mary M. Bell Field. The Broncos, down a run after one inning, scored a run in the second and three in the seventh to even its record on the season.
The Broncos' (13-13, 5-4 MAC) first run of the game was needed to tie the contest at one run apiece as Northern Illinois (15-19, 4-5 MAC) scored during its first at bat. Becky Bartosz led off the second with a double. Two batters later, Brittney Reist reached after being hit by a pitch. Kyla Sullivan reached on a fielder's choice but Bartosz was thrown out at third.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Amanda McBride reached on a fielder's choice and collected her first RBI of the season when Corey Andrzejewski scored after entering the game as a pinch runner. She was able to cross the plate due to an error on the NIU shortstop attempting to record the third out of the inning at third base.
The Huskies' first-inning score came courtesy of a Michelle Nendza single to left field, which scored Bailey Oullette who had reached on an error by Sullivan earlier in the inning. NIU had the opportunity to plate two runs in the frame but, with the bases loaded and no one out, Mandi Sayres gunned down Krista McPherson at the plate.
Northern Illinois had runners at second and third in the bottom of the second with a chance to regain the lead but Randi Kreiter flew out to Molly Mroczek in right field.
WMU and the Huskies both went quietly in the third inning. Sayres opened the Broncos' half of the inning but then Western Michigan went down in order to strand the sophomore and NIU went down in order.
The Broncos attempted a two-out rally in the top of the fourth. After Jenna Stuppy and Reist went down swinging, Sullivan singled to center field. She was followed by McBride who recorded a base hit to right field, advancing Nikolla Griffin, pinch running for Sullivan, to second base. The threat ended when Sarah Thomas, pinch hitting for Mroczek, grounded out to second base.
Northern Illinois did not have any success in the bottom half of the fourth either. Sullivan sandwiched a pair of Huskie ground outs around a line drive out off the bat of Krystn Sendejas.
After the pitchers had taken control of the game from the second through the sixth innings, WMU's offense rewarded its hurler with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Sullivan led off with a walk. McBride reached on a fielder's choice but still left the Broncos with one base runner.
Thomas took care of the rest, recording a double to score McBride from first and Thomas reached third on the throw. Sayres brought the freshman home with an RBI base hit to left field to give Western Michigan a 3-1 lead.
Kristi Strange kept the inning going with a one-out base knock to left field, advancing Sayres to second base. The hit came off relief pitcher Kate Greenough who entered the circle after the Broncos chased starting pitcher Taryn Hagemann after 6.1 innings of work.
Amanda Heckaman and Bartosz followed Strange with base hits to right and left field, respectively. Bartosz single, her second hit of the game, scored Sayres for a 4-1 WMU lead heading into the last half of the seventh inning.
NIU would not go quietly though on its home field. Ashley Clement led off the frame with a double and advanced to third base on a ground out by Krista McPherson. Ouellette earned a base on balls and Kreiter was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.
Ellen Stoddard cut WMU's lead to 4-2 with a sacrifice fly to Sayres, who had moved to right field earlier in the game. Sullivan, who evened her record (8-8) with the victory, forced Kelly Park to ground to Stuppy who threw her out at first base to end the game.
Western Michigan will finish its two-game season series with Northern Illinois on Sunday before traveling to South Bend, Ind., for a doubleheader against Notre Dame on April 17.
