WMU vs. Buffalo Game Stats - Game 1
WMU vs. Buffalo Game Stats - Game 2
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan softball team split its Mid-American Conference season opening series with Buffalo at Fran Ebert Field on Friday afternoon. The Broncos used a six-run sixth inning to capture the opener, 6-0, but Buffalo jumped out early in the second game and held on for a 4-1 victory.
In a game that was controlled by respective starting pitchers Meredith Whitney and Terese Diaz, Buffalo was the first to blink and Western Michigan took advantage. Deadlocked in a scoreless tie heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Broncos were only out-hitting the Bulls, 3-2 but key hits and three Buffalo erros turned the tide.
Lexi Jager led off by reaching on a fielding error by the Bulls' left fielder, advancing to second on the play. Sarah Thomas advanced her to third on a ground out and Gracie Barstad drove her home on a base hit to right field. On the play, the right fielder missed played the ball and allowed Barstad to advance to second on the error.
Whitney followed with a double down the left field line, scoring Barstad. Courtney Rousseau followed by reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop. Kayla Houston and Michelled Bendewald reached on a pair of singles with Bendewald's shot driving in a two more runs. Jenn Tschetter capped the scoring with a double of her own to drive home Bendewald and Rousseau. Jager, who started the inning came to the plate again as the Broncos batted around in the inning.
Buffalo jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a hit and two errors in the top of the first and the Bulls held WMU hitless until the bottom of the third when Diana Patterson singled through the left side with one out. The Bulls added a fourth run on Diaz's home run over the left field wall in the top of the fourth.
Western Michigan scratched out its only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Bendewald ripped a two-out double down the left field line and score on a throwing error as Patterson reached base. Tschetter grounded out to third base to end the Bronco threat.
WMU welcomes Kent State to Fran Ebert Field this weekend for a two-game set beginning Saturday at 2 p.m. Sunday's game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
