KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan softball suffered a series sweep to visiting Valparaiso as the Crusaders, came out on top, 4-3 and 1-0, avenging a loss to WMU earlier this season.
All three of the meetings between this season between WMU and Valparaiso resulted in a one-run decision as the Broncos defeated the Crusaders, 2-1, at the Hilltopper Invitational on Feb. 24. The game one loss was also WMU's first at home against Valpo in the last 10 meetings.
The Broncos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the first inning in game one. Melissa Palmer led off the game with a single to center field and later scored on a Jenny Rohn base hit to right field. Both would finish the game 3-for-4 at the plate with Palmer hitting her second triple of the season. For Rohn it was her 11th multi-hit game of the season, second on the team only to Palmer's 14. It was also her fourth three-hit game of 2013, second only to Palmer's seven.
Valpo answered right back in the top of the second and tacked on two more in the top of the third to take a 4-2 lead. Loren Nagy drove in the Broncos' third and final run of the game in the bottom of the third, reaching on a fielder's choice to score Diana Patterson.
Western Michigan's best chance at taking the lead back came in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Colleen Lynch reached on a fielder's choice followed by Elisha Handshoe drawing a walk. Megan Stamm singled to the shortstop but all three were stranded.
Game two was ultimately decided in the fifth inning when Valpo scored on a base hit to right field with a runner scoring from second base.
Western Michigan came to bat in the last of the seventh and put pressure on the visiting Crusaders and starting pitcher Taylor Weissenhofer. Caty Pixley led off with a single to right field and was sacrificed over to second by Emma Bogart. Palmer drew a walk to put the winning run aboard but the rally ended one batter later.
Weissenhofer became Valpo's single-season strikeout leader recording her 176th punch out in the third inning. WMU pitcher Mackenzie Shepeck had seven strikeouts in the loss.
WMU will face Notre Dame on Wednesday, May 1, in a make up game originally scheduled for March 27. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
