CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Broncos split the opening day of the 2013 USF Under Armour Showcase Tournament after scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a walk-off win over Penn State on Friday night.
Western Michigan entered the bottom of the seventh trailing the Nittany Lions, 8-6. Melissa Palmer led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error on a 3-2 pitch. Sabrina Gamboa continued her hot-hitting freshman season with her second triple of the season to score Palmer.
A second error allowed Lauren Nagy to reach base and Gamboa to score, to the game. Diana Patterson laid down a sac bunt to advance Colleen Lynch, pinch running for Nagy, to second. Lynch advanced to third on a passed ball.
Emma Bogart entered the game for Elisha Handshoe and drew a one-out walk, putting runners on the corners with one out. Mackenzie Shepeck reached on the inning's third error, allowing Lynch to cross home plate, giving WMU the come from behind win. It is the first time this season in nine games that the Broncos won a game when trailing after six innings.
The Broncos fell behind by four runs after two and a half innings but came back in a big way with six runs in the home half of the third. Christina Pigozzi led off by getting hit by a pitch and Jenny Rohn singled through the left side. Palmer hit one of the Broncos' three doubles of the game, scoring Pigozzi.
With Palmer on second and Rohn on third and one out, Nagy and Patterson drew walks to plate another run. Shepeck earned a third walk and another run scored. Marleen Rodriguez cleared the bases with her third double of the year.
Penn State scored four runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead back at 8-6, setting the stage for WMU's ultimate comeback for the win.
Becca Shemberger worked the complete game to earn her fourth win of the season. En route the sophomore registered her second double-digit strikeout game in a row, fanning 14 batters, five off the program record for a single game.
Western Michigan opened the day with an 8-3 loss to Long Island-Brooklyn. Gamboa had two RBIs against LIU, giving her three on the day and a team high 17 on the year.
The Broncos continue the USF Under Armour Showcase on Saturday with games against Loyola-Chicago and Fordham.
