WMU vs. Maine Game Stats

PLANT CITY, Fla. - Western Michigan softball took the field for the first time since Feb. 14, facing Maine in Plant City, Fla.  The Broncos picked up their first win since the season opener against Ole Miss, defeating the Black Bears, 3-2, on the strength of Courtney Rousseau's first career home run and eight strikeouts in Meredith Whitney's first win of the season.

Rousseau's first collegiate bomb came in the top of the third in a scoreless game after Molly Lange had grounded out back to the pitcher to lead off the frame.  It was one of two RBIs for the sophomore transfer from Delta College.  She doubled in a run in the top of the seventh after Jenn Tschetter doubled one batter earlier.  Rousseau later scored on the second of two hits off the bat of Gracie Barstad.

Both Barstad and Rousseau had a pair of hits on the day, going 2-for-4 and 2-for-3, respectively.  Also collecting hits in the win were Lexi Jager and Michelle Bendewald.  Barstad also doubled in her first at bat of the day in the top of the first inning.

Whitney got back to her winning ways with eight strikeouts in the 23rd complete game of her career.  She did not allow a Black Bear hit until Kristen Calvetti singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning.  She ended up spraying five hits over seven innings of work.

Maine tied the score, 1-1, in the bottom of the sixth when Kali Burnham laid down a bunt for a single, scoring Whitney Spangler.  After WMU posted a pair of runs in the top of the seventh the Black Bears plated another score on a Terren Hall double, scoring Cassie Hodgson who led off the inning with a walk.  Spangler attempted to score on the same play but Jager hit Bendewald with the cut off and she relayed to Sarah Thomas at home to take the runner and end the game, preserving the Broncos second win of the season.

Western Michigan continues its Florida trip with a game at Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers, Fla., at 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.