Game Stats vs. Villanova
Game Stats vs. Stony Brook
ORLANDO, Fla. - Western Michigan softball suffered a pair of losses at the 2009 University of Central Florida Invitational on Saturday.? The Broncos fell to Villanova in their morning game, 6-3, and could not bounce back against Stony Brook this afternoon, falling, 4-1.
Western Michigan jumped out in front of Villanova in the bottom of the third inning when Gracie Barstad knocked a base hit into left field with two outs, scoring Lexi Jager who had collected a one-out infield single and advanced to all the way to third base on a wild pitch.? The Wildcats answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth when lead-off batter Danielle Maricle hit a two-out, two-run double.
The Broncos battled back to tie the score in their half of the inning. Junior Meghan Thomas pinch ran for twin sister Sarah Thomas after she reached base on a muffed throw.? Kayla Houston plated Thomas when she grounded out to the shortstop.? The duo of Houston and Sarah Thomas worked out another run for Western Michigan in the bottom of the sixth.? The freshman hit the first double of her collegiate career, scoring Thomas who returned the favor to her sister, pinch running after Meghan reached on a fielding error.
Trailing, 4-3, WMU allowed Villanova's Meghan Morese to homer to bring home two runs.? The Wildcats' Eryn Teague had led off the top of the seventh with a base ob balls.? The Broncos were not able to get their offense going in the bottom of the last inning as Jager and Barstad went down swinging, sandwiched around a ground out by Amanda McBride.? Samantha Vargocko collected WMU's second extra-base hit of the day with a double in the fourth.
A two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and two more in the bottom of the fifth sealed Western Michigan's fate in its afternoon game against Stony Brook.? SBU's Marissa Fleury hit a two-out home run, scoriing Vicki Kavitsky after she led off the inning with a base hit through the left side.
WMU scratched out its lone run in the top of the third when Michelle Bendewald crossed home plate on Jager's second hit of the day.? The Broncos managed four hits against winning pitcher Kara Morenus and stranded four runners on base, 10 total on the day.
The Broncos close out their time at the UCF Invitational with a showdown against Maine on Sunday, the first day of March, at 11 a.m.? These two teams faced one another twice at the 2008 Stetson Tournament with WMU earning victories in both games and outscoring the Black Bears, 11-2.? This game can be followed on GameTracker by going to WMU softball's schedule page and clicking the link on the schedule.
