Box Score vs. Maine
DeLAND, Fla. - Western Michigan used four multi-run innings, including three straight to end the game, in a 9-1 victory over Maine in the consolation game at the Stetson Invitational on Sunday morning. Senior catcher Becky Bartosz led three teammates with multi-RBI games, hitting her first home run of the season in the fifth inning.
The Broncos (6-4) found themselves down a run thanks to a Maine (0-10) one-out home run in the top of the first. WMU took back the lead for good in the bottom of the second. Bartosz earned her first of four RBIs on the day when she reached on a fielding error after sacrificing Mandi Sayres over. Sayres, who was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, led off the inning with a double to left field. The junior shortstop now has three doubles on the season, matching her career total coming into the year.
Lexi Jager, who had the best day at the plate for the Broncos (3-for-4 with two RBIs), scored Bartosz with a the first of three singles to give WMU a 2-1 lead.
The score remained there until the bottom of the fourth when Western Michigan brought two more runs across the dish. The first came on a Molly Mroczek single that scored Michelle Bendewald who reached on a fielder's choice. Mroczek was 2-for-3 with one run scored. Jager scored Bartosz with another single to bring the Broncos' lead to 4-1 heading into the fifth.
Amanda Gelder and Sarah Thomas registered back-to-back base hits to lead off the bottom of the fifth and Sayres reached on a fielder's choice when Maine decided to throw out the lead runner, gunning down pinch runner Chelsea Westenburg at third base. Bartosz stepped to the plate and ripped a shot over the left field wall. The blast, her first of the year, gives her six for her career.
Thomas hit her first-career home run in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Gelder who earned a one-out walk, to end the game. Thomas had the most evenly distributed line score, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Kyla Sullivan worked her third complete game of the tournament, giving up one earned run, while scattering four hits and striking out three Bears batters. For the week, Sullivan earned a 3-0 record in the circle with a 2.16 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
Western Michigan will remain in DeLand, Fla., for practice before heading to Atlanta for the 2008 Buzz Classic (March 7-9).
