Game Stats
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Western Michigan softball out hit Michigan State at Old College Field
on Tuesday afternoon and for the second time in as many games, despite
those games occurring 16 days apart, the Broncos were on the losing end
of a walk-off home run. The Spartans battled back from two runs down,
scoring four in the bottom of the seventh, to take the win, 5-3.
Leading, 3-1, heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, freshman pitcher Meredith Whitney took the ball into the circle for her 65th inning of work so far this inning. The first two batters suffered the same fate as 11 other Spartans had throughout the game, striking out. Whitney now has 72 punch outs in 10 appearances to average 7.2 K's per game.
MSU's Kara Weigle drew a walk and scored on Gina Mondo's home run to left field. In a cruel deja vu', the next batter, Lauren Kramer drew a walk and Lindsey Harris followed with another home run to left field. All of the Spartans' runs on Tuesday came from the long ball as Weigle led off the home half of the fourth inning.
The Broncos built a two-run lead with runs in the top of the second and third innings. The first was due to an error by Weigle, MSU's catcher. With one out in the frame Gracie Barstad doubled down the right field line and advanced to third on Sarah Thomas' ground out. Shortstop Kayla Houston reached on Weigle's error, which allowed Barstad to score.
Whitney helped out her own cause in the top of the third with an RBI single to left field to score Samantha Vargocko, who beat out an infield single back up the box and was followed by a base hit off the bat of designated player Mandi Sayres. Vargocko advanced to second on that hit and scored on Whitney's base knock.
WMU's third and final run was just as unconventional but productive nonetheless as its first. With one out in the top of the sixth, Meghan Thomas hit a ball deep enough to score an inside the park home run.
The Brown & Gold will dust themselves off as they have a quick turnaround, taking on Notre Dame in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. Both games, the second is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, can be followed via GameTracker. The links can be found on WMU softball's schedule page.
