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Box Score 2 LAS CRUCES, N.M.- The Western Michigan softball team rallied from behind to win its 2016 opener by a 4-3 final over Campbell Friday at the Troy Cox Classic. After opening an early lead the Broncos then fell in their second game of the day to tournament host New Mexico State, 15-5.
Western Michigan hit a total of five home runs on opening day, which generated all nine Bronco runs. Junior Erin Binkowski went 3-for-6 over the two games with three home runs and six RBIs.
In game one vs. Campbell, Binkowski blasted the game-winning shot, a solo blast in the bottom of the sixth. Against New Mexico State, she crushed a three-run home run in the first and a two-run homer in the third to give WMU a 5-0 advantage.
WMU had to fight back from a 3-0 deficit to pick up the win against Campbell. Junior third baseman Kelsea Cichocki got the offense going with a two-run home run in the fourth. Making her first appearance as a Bronco, junior transfer Abby Stoner hit the game-tying home run in the sixth and two batters later, Binkowski came in to pinch hit and delivered a long ball to give WMU a 4-3 lead.
Senior Allyson Kus (1-0) hurled a complete game against Campbell. She retired the side in order in the seventh to complete the comeback and set out a career high with eight strikeouts.
Binkowski's hot bat got Western Michigan off to a good start against New Mexico State, but the Aggies scored two runs in the fourth and fifth and stormed back with 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Freshman pitcher Jordan Kurth (0-1) surrendered just one hit through three innings against New Mexico State and both runs in the fourth were unearned. A two-run home run pulled the Aggies within one in the fifth and Kurth ran into trouble in the sixth. Sophomore Anissa Sanchez and Binkowski were called on out of the bullpen as New Mexico's State's bats suddenly came alive.
Western Michigan (1-1) returns to play tomorrow, taking on Creighton at 1 p.m. ET and No. 9 Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Brown & Gold closes out the classic with a second game against New Mexico State on Sunday.
