URBANA, Ill. - Western Michigan softball exploded for eight
runs on nine hits to defeat Loyola-Chicago, 8-6, and win the Consolation
Game of the Fighting Illini Invitational.
Today's game against
the Ramblers was deemed the consolation game of the tournament due to
the remainder of the event being canceled because of extremely cold
playing conditions. Illinois and St. Louis played for the championship.
The Broncos scored two more runs in each of the first three innings, breaking out for four runs in the bottom of the third.
WMU
began the scoring in the first. Melissa Palmer, who hit .417 for the
tournament after going 3-for-4 today, led off the inning with a single
back to the pitcher. She advanced to second on Christina Pigozzi's
sacrifice bunt. Sabrina Gamboa, who led the Broncos by hitting .500
(5-for-10) this weekend, hit her seventh double of the season to plate
Palmer. Diana Patterson had one of her two hits on the day to score
Gamboa.
Melissa Palmer - Post-Game
After Loyola got on the board with a home run in the
second inning, one of three on the day tying the most by an opponent in
2013, the Broncos added two more in the home half of the inning. Palmer
ripped a double to right field to score Marleen Rodriguez. Pigozzi
reached on a fielder's choice allowing Palmer to score, sliding around
the tag.
WMU loaded the bases in the third as Patterson singled to
right field, Mackenzie Shepeck doubled to left center and Jenny Rohn
reached on an error. Rodriguez drew a one-out walk to score the first
run. Palmer singled through the right side for another. Pigozzi
collected a base hit to left field for a third run and Gamboa was hit by
a pitch for the fourth tally of the inning.
That would be enough
as Colleen Lynch came into the circle in relief of Shepeck after two
innings. Lynch, in her fourth appearance of the season, did not allow a
run until the top of the seventh when the Ramblers hit their last home
run, a three-run job to pull within two runs. It was the first runs
Lynch has given up all season.
Loyola brought the tying run to the
plate when Allyson Kus came into the game, allowing a one-out walk.
The runner advanced to third on a wild pitch and a ground out but the
final out was secured by Lauren Nagy, unassisted, at first base.
The
win avenged a 6-3 loss to the Ramblers on March 9. Western Michigan is
scheduled to open its home season on Tuesday against IPFW at 2 p.m.
