WMU vs. Toledo Game Stats
TOLEDO, Ohio - Western Michigan softball battled with the Toledo Rockets through seven innings, in the Broncos' 4-3 win on Saturday afternoon. The Broncos took the lead in the top of the second, reclaimed it in the sixth and added what turned out be a much needed insurance run in the top of the seventh.
The Rockets claimed a one-run lead on a passed ball in the bottom of the opening inning. Western Michigan answered with two runs in the top of the second. Starting pitcher Meredith Whitney, who pitched her second-straight complete game and had eight strikeouts, earned a one-out walk. She stole her fourth base of the season and scored on Michelle Bendewald's fourth double of the year.
Courtney Rousseau wrapped a base hit to left field and advanced to second base on a fielding error in left field. Bendewald scored on the play to give WMU its first lead of the game. It would be short lived as Toledo answered in the bottom of the third with a lead-off home run.
Western Michigan reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth as Whitney hit her team-leading seventh double of the season. Molly Lange led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Jenn Tschetter pinch ran for the senior. She advanced to second base on Gracie Barstad's ground out to second base and scored on Whitney's double to left center field.
The Broncos tacked on what proved to be the winning run in the top of seventh inning after allowing Toledo to move what would have been the tying run into scoring position in the bottom of the sixth when WMU led, 3-2. Diana Patterson led off the seventh with a single through the left side. A pair of Broncos reached on fielder's choices as the Rockets opted to take care of the lead base runner but after a Sarah Thomas reached on a walk, WMU finally a runner in scoring position. Tschetter took care of the rest, ripping the Broncos' third double of the game down the left field line to score Chelsea Westenburg and giving Western Michigan a 4-2 lead. Half of WMU's six hits were doubles with Barstad adding a single along with Rousseau and Patterson's base hits.
The drama was not over. In the bottom of the seventh Toledo led off with a triple and a double to pull to within a run. WMU used the Rockets' tactic and allowed a pair of fielder's choices to get the first two outs of the frame at second base, cutting down the lead runner. The final out of the game came on a harmless ground out.
The Broncos and Toledo conclude their two-game season series on Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch from Scott Park.
