Softball March 28, 2009 Mat Kanan, director of athletic media relations

WMU Splits With Akron; Jager and Bendewald Go Deep

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan drew a split with visiting Akron, taking the first game, 7-0, on the strength of a pair of three-run home runs off the bats of Michelle Bendewald and Lexi Jager in the Broncos' seven-run sixth inning. Meredith Whitney took a no-hitter six and one-third innings into the game en route to the win. Akron took the second game, 2-0, to force the split over WMU.

It was a pitchers duel by definition as things started on Saturday at Fran Ebert Field. Akron had allowed just four Bronco hits and no runs heading into the bottom of the sixth inning with Whitney working on a no-hitter through six frames. Samantha Vargocko led off the inning with her second double of the season. She was followed by Gracie Barstad who followed with a walk. Mandi Sayres put WMU on the board on a suicide squeeze bunt single, plating Vargocko from third, to set the table for Bendewald's second-career home run.

Kayla Houston kept the inning going by reaching on a fielding error from the Zips' first baseman Crystal Hernandez. Brittney Reist took a 1-0 pitch to left field for a base hit and after a strike out from Lauren Fuller, Jager took a 2-0 offering from Amanda Arney over the left field wall for her second home run of the weekend and fourth of the season to score three more runs for the Brown & Gold.

With the game in hand the only thing in question was whether Whitney would record the first no-hitter of her young career. Krista Hansen flied out to right field for the first out of the inning, bringing Felicia Houtz to the plate. Houtz, in the second game of her career, hit a shot that dropped just in front of Vargocko in center field for the first hit of her career, breaking up the no-no. Whitney ended up scattering two hits to go along with nine strike outs in her fourth shut out and ninth complete game of the season.

Akron jumped in front of Western Michigan in the top of the third inning in the second game and made the lead stick throughout. Julie Boyes singled to right field after Krista Hansen was hit by a pitch to open the frame. She later scored on a double steal and Calie Stratton plated the Zips' second run with a base hit to right field, scoring pinch runner Jaci Brindus.

WMU registered its first hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Sayres, 3-for-5 at the plate on Saturday, hit her second double of the year with one out in the inning, but pinch runner Sarah Thomas was stranded as the next two batters flied out and grounded out, respectively. The Broncos led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit from Vargocko, 3-for-7 on the day, but the senior was gunned down from center field when she tried to stretch the hit into a double. Barstad and Whitney each flied out to end the threat and the game.

The Broncos will host Bowling Green on April 3 with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Toledo Rockets will come to Kalamazoo on April 4-5 for a two-game set on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)

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