Box Score
AKRON, Ohio ? Western Michigan softball fell to the consolation bracket of the 2008 Mid-American Conference Tournament after Thursday's loss to top-seeded Kent State, 2-1. Samantha Vargocko smashed her seventh home run of the season, tying a program record for home runs in a season.
Trailing by a pair of runs and with two outs in the seventh inning, Vargocko sailed a pitch over the left center field wall to cut Kent State's (42-10) in half. WMU (20-17) would come up short as Amanda McBride popped out to end the game. Vargocko tied the school record for home runs, tying Erin Malloch and Gina Dobbs, who both accomplished the feat in 2003.
It was Kent State that broke through in this pitchers duel. After Fitzpatrick drew a lead-off walk, her second of the game, Carmichael came to the plate two batters later and delivered a home run to right field.
Both Kyla Sullivan and Kylie Reynolds were stellar in the circle after working a combined 16.0 innings on Wednesday. Sullivan pitched every one of WMU's 10 innings in a 4-2 win over Miami and Reynolds worked six inning of relief in the Flashes' first-round win over Akron, 3-2, in 10 innings as well.
The Broncos tried to answer in their offensive half of the sixth with a lead-off single down the left field line by Mandi Sayres (1-for3) but after a Molly Mroczek strike out, Bartosz lined out to Reynolds. She quickly threw over to Fitzpatrick at first base, picking off Sayres to end the inning.
Sullivan worked her way out of an early jam in the top of the first. She gave up a lead-off triple to the Flashes' Kim Hamilton but the senior was stranded there as three of the next four batters were retired. Lauren Brocklehurst popped out to Sullivan, Jessica Toocheck fouled out to Amanda Gelder at first base and after a walk by Jamie Fitzpatrick, Corey Houk struck out to end the inning.
The Flashes put their lead off hitter on base for the second-straight inning on Jessica Carmichael's single to center field. The next two batters were retired before Heather Duhon reached on a fielding error by WMU third baseman Lexi Jager. But KSU stranded two base runners for the second inning in a row when Hamilton fouled out to McBride along the first base line.
WMU's offense went to work in the bottom of the third frame. Jager (1-for-3) legged out a sharply hit ball to the shortstop for the Broncos' first hit of the game. Designated player Lauren Fuller launched a shot to left field but Houk was there to haul it in for the inning's final out.
Both teams went quietly in the third. KSU stranded two more base runners in the fourth and despite Becky Bartosz reaching base and advancing to second, the Broncos were unable to scratch out a run in the fourth as well.
Vargocko doubled to left center field to lead off the home half of the fifth after Kent State went down in order for the second time in the first five frames. It was Western Michigan's second hit of the game. Lauren Fuller struck out swinging, McBride popped out to shortstop and Sarah Thomas fanned as well to strand Vargocko and keep the game scoreless through five innings.
This was fifth time Western Michigan and Kent State have met in the MAC Tournament with the all-time series tied at two wins apiece. The two teams' last meeting came in the 2006 championship game, which resulted in a 2-1 win for the Flashes and their first-ever tournament title.
WMU will face Ohio on Friday at 1:30 p.m., after the Bobcats knocked off second-seeded Central Michigan on Thursday night. The Bobcats ended the Broncos' bid for a title in 2007 with a 5-2 win.
A win by the Broncos will pit them against Bowling Green at 7 p.m. The Falcons defeated Ball State, 6-3, on Thursday evening. Western Michigan would need to beat BGSU on Friday night and again at 12:30 p.m., on Saturday to earn a berth in the title game.
