KALAMAZOO, Mich. - WMU came from two runs down in the fifth to defeat Bowling Green, 5-4, sweeping the Falcons over the weekend and extending its home win streak to seven games. Meredith Whitney came through again, going 4-for-4 with her third home run of the season to lead off the first. She also pitched 3.1 innings to earn her fifth-straight victory and eighth of the season.
Tara Buchanan drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the
sixth after Michelle Bendewald had led off the inning with a double to
center field. Buchanan, Whitney, Bendewald and Gracie Barstad all had
multi-hit games in the win.
After Bowling Green scored a run in the top of the first, Whitney needed just one pitch before sending her third home run of the year over the left field wall. It was her 11th career shot, moving her past Becky Bartosz into a tie with Amanda Heckaman for third on the career home run list.
Bendewald drove in WMU's second run of the game, scoring Christina Pigozzi to give the Broncos their first lead of the day. The Falcons grabbed a 3-2 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third and extended that lead to 4-2 with another tally in the top of the fourth.
Whitney came in from left field to relieve starting pitcher Kayla Houston with the bases loaded and promptly struck out Paige Berger to end the threat. Whitney allowed just one base runner the rest of the way en route to her eighth win of the season.
WMU mounted its comeback in the fifth inning, beginning with Barstad's lead-off single through the left side. After Courtney Rousseau sacrificed her to second, Jennifer Tschetter singled to left to load the bases. Barstad scored on a wild pitch to bring the Broncos within a run.
Bendewald led off the sixth with a double and scored to tie game on Tara Buchanan's base hit through the left side. Whitney collected her eighth hit of the weekend with a single up the middle and scored the winning run on Rousseau's sacrifice fly.
The Broncos host their final home series of the season next weekend when Northern Illinois comes to town on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday May 1.
