Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - It had not happened since the 2006 season but senior Kyla Sullivan and sophomore Kelli Zache combined for Western Michigan softball's first no-hitter since 2006. WMU brought out its big bats in the five-inning win as Amanda Gelder and Samantha Vargocko each hit their third home runs of the season in the 8-0 victory.
Sullivan was in control her entire time in the circle on Saturday afternoon. Despite striking out just three batters, she worked her way through her 10th start and sixth victory with precision on 56 pitches. She was also a contributor offensively, going 1-for-3 with a run scored and her second double of the season.
Zache came relieved Sullivan in the top of the fifth and made quick work of the Huskies (5-16, 0-3 MAC). She forced Andrea Colosimo to fly out to center field, then forced Krista McPherson into a 6-3 ground out. She ended the game by getting Jenna Roberts to pop out to Amanda McBride at second base. It marked the first no-hitter for WMU since shutting down Akron, also in five innings, on April 29, 2006.
Western Michigan (10-8, 2-1 MAC) wasted little time posting runs on the board. Sullivan's one-out double kicked things off for the Broncos. Lexi Jager was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second base. Gelder came to the plate and was quickly down 0-2. The next pitch went sailing over the right field foul pole to give Western Michigan all the runs it would need, a 3-0 lead.
Both offenses stayed quiet over the next two and a half innings but WMU busted out again in the bottom of the fourth. Vargocko smashed a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall to give the Broncos a 4-0 lead. Two batters later, Molly Mroczek followed with a base hit back up the box and McBride tripled to right center to score Mroczek. It was the first triple for any Bronco this season and the first of the Mattawan, Mich., native's career.
Becky Bartosz came to the plate next and hit a double to the left field wall, scoring pinch runner Michelle Bendewald. Mandi Sayres recorded an infield single and later advanced to second base on a passed ball. Sullivan reached on a fielding error, which allowed Bartosz to score. Chelsea Westenburg pinch ran for Sullivan and was later caught stealing but an errant throw by the NIU catcher allowed Sayres to score before Westenburg was tagged out.
No Bronco had more than one hit on Saturday but seven batters hit safely for the home team. This game also marked the seventh time in 11 games and sixth-straight win where Western Michigan held an opponent to one run or less. The last time WMU allowed more than a run in a victory was Feb. 29, 2008 - a 10-6 over Albany.
WMU and the Huskies will conclude their two-game set on Sunday afternoon at Fran Ebert Field with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
