Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
TOLEDO, Ohio - Western Michigan softball opened its twin bill with a 3-1 win over Toledo at Scott Field on Friday afternoon but the hometown Rockets answered in the night cap with a 6-2 victory over the Broncos to earn a season split and keep WMU from reaching 20 wins for the sixth-straight season and the 24th time in program history.
Amanda Heckaman was the offensive source in Western Michigan's (19-20, 11-9 MAC) series-opening win over Toledo (9-31, 4-14 MAC). The senior went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI in the fifth inning. She cleared the bases when she ripped a two-out single to center field to plate Mandi Sayres and Kristi Strange. Heckaman was thrown out trying to reach second on the throw, ending the inning.
WMU's Lauren put the Broncos on the board in the second inning with her first double of the season. Becky Bartosz led off the frame with a base hit up the middle and was sacrificed over to second base by Jenna Stuppy. Fuller laced a two-bagger down the left field line to score Bartosz and put a run on the board.
Both Strange and Heckaman finished the game with a pair of hits. Also collecting a hit in the win was sophomore Amanda McBride, who almost added to the WMU lead with her base hit but Corey Andrzejewski was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Kyla Sullivan pitched her 19th complete game of the season en route to her 14th victory of her junior campaign. She fanned seven batters in the win, scattering five hits and walking just four Rockets.
The Western Michigan bats were quieted in the night cap as the Broncos managed just three hits in the 6-2 loss. Those three hits did produce two runs.
Fuller registered an RBI with a fly out to right field and Andrzejewski collected her second RBI of the year with a single down the left field line, plating Bartosz. She reached on a base hit after Heckaman led off the frame by getting hit by a pitch.
Toledo jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings, thanks in part to Andrea Wabol's second home run of the year scored Denise Van Vossen (led off with a walk) and Kate Ricchio (reached on an error) as well as herself.
After the home run, Brittney Reist relieved Megan Thomas in the circle for the Broncos. Toledo's offensive leader, Leslie Stong, stepped into the box and stepped into Reist's offering, smashing her sixth home run of the season.
Western Michigan makes the short trip from Toledo to Bowling Green for its final regular season series of 2007. The games begin at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Falcons are coming off a Friday sweep of Northern Illinois, taking out the Huskies, 10-0 and 3-2.
