Broncos Fall to Michigan, 5-0

ANN ARBOR -- The Western Michigan softball team fell to top-seeded Michigan, 5-0, in the first game of the NCAA Regional Tournament on Friday evening. The Broncos now play Notre Dame at 2:35 p.m. in the first elimination game.

Michigan's Taylor Jordan struck out 13 in the shutout while WMU's Meredith Whitney picked up the loss, giving up four runs with three strike outs.

Michigan's Amanda Chidester led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a blast over the left field wall to draw first blood and give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead. The Wolverines added two more in the inning on a pair of RBI singles by Ashley Lane and Alycia Ryan to give Michigan a 3-0 lead after four.

Michigan (52-4) added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 5-0. Marley Powers singled to deep right field to drive in a run and Lyndsay Doyle double to left-center for Michigan's fifth run.

The Broncos (25-29) threatened in the top of the fourth with Whitney drawing a walk and Tara Buchanan reaching on an error by Michigan's Amy Knapp. WMU stranded two runners after Kayla Houston grounded into a fielder's choice and Allie Carlson struck out swinging.

Whitney later doubled in the fifth inning and Jennifer Tschetter also doubled in the seventh but both were left stranded.

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