Game Stats
KENT, Ohio - The Western Michigan softball team defeated Kent State, 8-4, on the
road for the first time in over two years (April 20, 2007). WMU had
three home runs on the day with Meredith Whitney becoming only the
fourth Bronco in program history to hit two home runs in a game,
smashing blasts in back-to-back at bats. Brittney Reist also went deep
for the second time in as many days.
The Broncos amassed a four-run lead over the first three innings, mainly using the long ball. Reist smacked her fourth home run of the season, 10th of her career with one out in the top of the second and Gracie Barstad scored on a Michelle Bendewald single after recording her third double of the year after Reist's home run.
Whitney's first home run plated a pair of runs in the top of the third after Samantha Vargocko led off the frame with a single through the left side. Kent State, which had already claimed the Mid-American Conference East Division title, scratched out a run in the bottom of the fourth but WMU maintained control of the game with three more runs in the top of the fifth.
Lexi Jager, who had a single and a double on Saturday, led off with a base hit to straight away center field. Whitney belted the second of her two home runs to clear the bases of Broncos. She joins teammate Vargocko (Feb. 15, 2008), Linda Harrall (April 25, 1979) and Lynette Nevins (1977) as one of only four Broncos to ever hit two home runs in one game. She finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBIs and was one of four Broncos with multi-hit games against the Golden Flashes on Saturday afternoon.
Barstad, who was a perfect 4-for-4 on the day with a run scored and a pair of RBIS, hit her second double of the game to score Chelsea Westenburg, pinch running for Reist, who had advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Jager collected her eighth double of the season down the left field line to lead off the seventh and later scored on Barstad's fourth and final hit of the game.
Whitney was proficient in the circle again for the Broncos, recording her second-straight double-digit strike out game, striking out 11 batters in her 18th complete game of the season to improve to 14-9. WMU and Kent State will close out the 2009 regular season at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the KSU Softball Field.
