Box Score
MIDLAND, Mich. - Western Michigan softball's season came to an end on Thursday evening when seventh-seeded Ohio took out the sixth-seeded Broncos, 5-2, at the 2007 Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament at Currie Stadium in Midland, Mich.
A year ago Western Michigan and Ohio met in the first round of the MAC Softball Tournament and after seven and a half innings, Kristi Strange advanced the Broncos to round two on her conference single-season record-breaking 22nd double of the year to score Mandi Sayres.
Sayres had led off the frame with her third hit in as many at bats. She was followed by former Bronco Kati Niemi who slapped an infield single to shortstop to set the stage for Strange's heroics. WMU won the game, 1-0, en route to a spot in the championship game.
It took the Broncos a little less time to plate their first run in the two teams' 2007 MAC Tournament match up. With two outs, Amanda Heckaman ripped a single up the middle. The base knock was enough to score Sayres from second base. The sophomore shortstop had reached on a fielder's choice and later advanced to second base on a 4-3 groundout. It was Heckaman's 20th RBI of the season, leading the team.
Ohio answered back in the top of second inning with a run when Alicia Catlette singled up the middle, scoring Marian Davis from third base. Davis was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning to reach base. Kelly Rodriguez also attempted to score on the play but was gunned down by Corey Andrzejewski from center field, who threw a strike to Becky Bartosz at the plate.
Even though a run was not scored in the bottom of the second, Jenna Stuppy highlighted the inning with her first base hit since game two of a doubleheader against Oakland on March 28. The single to right field snapped an 0-for-55 slump for the senior that returned from injury seven days after taking a line drive to her cheek at practice.
The Bobcats added two more runs in the top of the third to lift their lead to 3-1. Courtney Waters led off with an infield single. Debbie Szalejko duplicated her teammate's effort with a base hit to shortstop as well. WMU starting pitcher Kyla Sullivan struck out the next batter and forced the next to ground out to first base. But with runners on second and third base, Shalene Petrich singled up the middle on the first pitch she saw to plate the two runs.
Western Michigan was not able to chip into the Ohio lead in the bottom of the third, going down in order. Molly Mroczek went down swinging and Sayres and Strange grounded out to shortstop and flied out to left field, respectively.
Sullivan fanned two of three batters in the top of the fourth and fielded the only ball put in play during the inning, tossing to Heckaman for the third base. It was the first time since the first inning the Ohio offense had been sat down in order.
Western Michigan had an opportunity to produce in the bottom of the fourth with Heckaman leading off with a walk. Nikolla Griffin pinch ran for the senior but was out at second on Bartosz's fielder's choice. Lauren Fuller reached on a walk to put a pair of Broncos on but the inning ended when Sullivan flied out to right field on the diving catch by Petrich.
WMU sat the Bobcats down in order for the second-straight inning highlighted again by Stuppy, this time defensively. With two out. Ohio's Allie Farrington hit a slow roller down the third base line. Stuppy made a bare-handed pick and threw a strike to Heckaman at first to end the inning.
Sayres kept the Broncos' half of the fifth alive with a trailing base hit to center field but she was stranded with the tying run at the plate for WMU. Ohio capitalized in the top of the sixth, adding two more runs on a pair of infield base hits to extend its lead to 5-1.
Western Michigan brought the tying run to the plate and scored its second run of the game in the bottom of the second when Mroczek grounded out to plate Megan Thomas. That attempted comeback ended when Sayres grounded out to first to end the game and allow Ohio to advance in the consolation bracket.
