Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan softball team collected at least 10 hits in each of its two Mid-American Conference wins over Buffalo, 7-2 and 7-1, on Sunday afternoon. The first victory of the day gave Kathy Leitke her 100th MAC win of her career and the second was aided by home runs from Becky Bartosz and Samantha Vargocko.
Bartosz had a day of days, going 5-for-6 at the plate (.833) with her second home run of the season and seventh of her career, which puts her in a tie for fifth on the career list at WMU. She was a perfect 3-for-3 during the second game.
The Gladstone, Mich., native was not the only one to have success at the plate on Sunday as three other Broncos recorded multi-hit games. Mandi Sayres did it twice, upping her team lead to eight games with more than hit this season. Both of those hits in the opening game were doubles, giving her seven so far this season. Sayres went 2-for-4 in the first game with three runs scored and followed that effort up by going 2-for-3 with two more runs scored.
WMU (13-11, 5-3 MAC) scored early and often during the first game, plating two runs in the first inning and three more runs in the second. Sayres led off with a double and advanced to third base when Vargocko laid down a sacrifice bunt. After Lexi Jager earned a walk, Molly Mroczek cleared the bases with a single to left field.
Another double led off the WMU second inning, this time off the bat of Brittney Reist. Kyla Sullivan laid down a bunt to advance pinch runner Sarah Thomas to third base. Amanda McBride plated Thomas, recording a base hit to center field. It was the first of two hits on the day for McBride, who also recorded her first double of the season during the second game. She was one of four Broncos to hit over .400 this past week (.417). Sayres and Mroczek hit .529 and .500, respectively, while Bartosz matched McBride at .417.
Western Michigan scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Buffalo (3-23, 1-7 MAC) committed back-to-back errors to put McBride and Sayres on base. McBride scored when Sayres reach on a fielding error by the UB first baseman. Jager singled to center to later score Sayres.
The Broncos had to come from behind to earn their second win of the day. Buffalo scored in the top of the second inning but the Bulls could not make it stand as WMU tied the game in the fourth and scored two more runs in the fifth and an additional four in the bottom of the sixth.
Bartosz's home run accounted for WMU's run in the fourth. Jager drove in her second run of the game in the fifth. With the bases loaded and McBride was on third base. The freshman third basemand hit the ball to second base and the defender went home with the throw. Buffalo's catcher, Wendy Sheehan, caught the ball in time but did not step on home plate, allowing McBride to score. Two batters later Mroczek singled, scoring Sayres but Vargocko was thrown out at home plate by UB's right fielder, Kristen Gallipani.
The WMU sixth opened with a Bartosz single. Reist followed with a base knock up the middle. Sullian reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a wild pitch. Sayres drove in another run with a base hit and later scored her fifth run of the day on Vargocko's fourth home run of the season.
Western Michigan now embarks on a nine-game road trip, beginning with a doubleheader at Toledo on April 18. WMU's next home game will be a twinbill against Ball State on May 2.
