TEMPE, Ariz. - The bats were hot early for Western Michigan softball as the Broncos defeated Cal State Northridge, 9-0, in five innings for the team's first win of the season.
All it took for WMU to capture its first win of the year was an eight-run first inning and one final tally in the second. The onslaught began at the games onset as senior Courtney Rousseau belted a lead off home run over the center field wall.
The next three batters, Jennifer Tschetter, Meredith Whitney and Tara Buchanan, reached on a hit by pitch, an error and a walk, respectively, setting the stage for Emma Bogart. The freshman second baseman ripped her first career double down the left field line to score Tschetter and Buchanan.
Myranda McDonald drew a walk to load the bases setting the stage for another rookie. Lesy Schalk collected her first collegiate double to center field to score Buchanan and Bogart and give the Broncos a 5-0 lead with just one out in the opening inning.
After Christina Pigozzi grounded out for WMU's second out, Rousseau stepped to the plate again and singled down the right field line to bring home two more runs. The Bay City, Mich., native went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs in the game.
Tschetter registered a base hit back to the pitcher and Whitney capped the scoring with a single through the right side of the defense, scoring Rousseau.
Whitney, pitching four innings, earned her first win of the year and struck out six batters to bring her career total up to 511.
Schalk drove in WMU's ninth and final run in the second with a base hit back up the middle, scoring McDonald who led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error.
CSUN managed just three hits in the game, collecting just two off Whitney and one off reliever Diana Patterson. Mia Pagano suffered the loss in the circle, giving up four unearned runs, while Crystal Maas allowed five runs with recording an out.
WMU suffered a 2-1 loss against Bradley on Saturday night despite out-hitting the Braves, 6-5. Bogart's RBI single in the sixth produced the Broncos' lone run.
Western Michigan concludes its play at the Kajikawa Classic Sunday against No 9/14 Tennesse at 11 a.m. EST.
