TAMPA, Fla. - Western Michigan softball won its third game of the 2012 USF Under Armour Invitational with a 3-1 win over Quinnipiac on Sunday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Meredith Whitney not only moved within one win of the third most for a WMU pitcher in a career, capturing her 47th career victory in the circle, but she also drove in what turned out to be the winning run against the Bobcats.
Trailing, 1-0, in the bottom of the third, Christina Pigozzi recorded a two-out infield single back to the pitcher and advanced to second base on an errant throw. Whitney belted her 15th career home run over the center field wall to give WMU a 2-1 lead.
The Broncos added a security run in the bottom of the sixth. Whitney led off with an infield single to shortstop and Diana Patterson followed with a double to left field, scoring her senior teammate.
Quinnipiac scored on a two-out home run over the left center field wall in the top of the first. The Bobcats had five hits over the next five innings but no more than one in all but four of those innings.
Quinnipiac entered the bottom of the seventh needing just one run to tie the score but Whitney sat down the batters in order, fanning the first two and getting the final out on a foul ball. Whitney struck out nine Bobcats to give her 538 Ks for her career.
Western Michigan continues its season March 9-11 at the USF Under Armour Showcase Tournament but not before playing an exhibition game against the Netherlands National Team at 7 p.m. on March 7.
