Softball | May 09, 2018
Box Score AKRON, Ohio- The No. 5 seeded Western Michigan softball team fell to No. 4 seed Kent State, 3-2, in the opening round of the 2018 Mid-American Conference Tournament Wednesday. WMU slips into the elimination bracket and will face No. 8 seed Miami Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Miami lost to No. 1 seed Ohio, 1-0.
Kent State scored all three of its runs in the first inning and found a way to hold WMU to just two runs, despite the Broncos pounding out 11 hits. Freshman catcher
Logan Carter hit a solo home run and drove in both of Western Michigan's runs.
With one out in the first inning, WMU pitcher
Jordan Kurth put two runners on with a hit by a pitch and a work-around walk. Kent State's Bailey Brownfield delivered the Golden Flashes' only hit of the frame with an RBI single to left field. A groundball fielder's choice brought the second run across. With two outs and two on, Kurth issued two more walks, bringing a third run in for Kent State.
After the wild first inning, Kurth settled in and was almost perfect the remainder of the game, allowing just two hits over the next five innings. In the heart of the game, she retired 10 straight batters to give her team a chance. The Bronco offense however was only able to muster two runs.
In the top of the second, freshman
Sydney Stefanick doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a single through the right side by senior
Aspen Williams. Stefanick scored on a sacrifice fly by Carter.
Samantha Coffel got on base on an error to lead off the top of the third. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, but a line out and a ground out ended the Bronco at bat.
Carter pulled Western Michigan within one in the fourth inning, hitting her second home run of the season out over the fence in right center.
WMU had another single in the fifth inning and had three hits in the seventh. A groundball double play and a swinging strikeout ended WMU's hopes of a comeback in the seventh. The Broncos also missed an opportunity in the top of the first, as Kent State threw a runner out at home and WMU left runners on second and third.
Kurth (12-7) struck out three, walked four and allowed three hits over six innings. Junior shortstop
Brooke Wyman batted 3-for-4 for the Broncos.
Mackenzie Swinehart went 2-for-3 and Stefanick went 2-for-4.
Madi Huck (18-7) threw a complete game for Kent State. She recorded four strikeouts and left 10 WMU runners stranded on base.
Western Michigan's overall record now stands at 28-24 on the season. Kent State is 29-21.
