KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan softball team hosted Strikeout Cancer Day during a doubleheader with Ball State University at Ebert Field Saturday afternoon, collecting donations for Bronson Children's Hospital while honoring loved ones who have battled cancer. The Broncos walked off game one with a 10-9 victory in extra innings prior to a 5-3 game two loss. 

With the doubleheader split, the Cardinals took the series victory as they prevailed in game one Friday to improve to 7-5 in the MAC. Western Michigan drops to 12-19 overall and 5-6 in the MAC. 

The Brown & Gold collected 24 hits and 11 RBI through two games, which five Broncos totaling at least three hits. Sydney Stefanick led WMU with five RBI along with four hits and three runs scored, Brooke Wyman recorded five hits and two RBI, and Emma Nuyen notched four hits and two RBI. 

Western Michigan 10, Ball State 9 (8 inn.)
An eventful opening game saw the Broncos register 16 hits while they won the game on a Cardinal wild pitch, scoring Kaylen Glenfield for the game-winning run in the eighth inning. 

After the game was tied 4-4 through two innings, WMU jumped out to a five-run advantage with three runs in the third and another pair in the fourth. A Wyman two-RBI single gave the home team a 9-4 lead. 

Ball State answered with the long ball. Stacy Payton hit a two-run home run off the left field foul pole in the fifth to trim the WMU lead to 9-6.

Reily Galloway pitched five innings after replacing starter Jordan Kurth in the third innings. In the seventh, the Cardinals put two runners on before Galloway sent two down, but a three-run homer by Kendall Fields with two outs tied the ball game at 9-9. BSU then retired the Broncos in order in the bottom half to force extra innings. 

Stefanick came into the pitcher's circle for the eighth and sent Ball State down 1-2-3 to earn the eventual win. Glenfield led off the bottom half with a single and advanced into scoring position off an Erin Barg sacrifice bunt. A Wyman single then moved her to third, setting up the game-winning run off the wild pitch. 

Wyman and Stefanick paced the Broncos with three hits each, while Stefanick drove four batters in with a double and her team-high ninth homer of the year. 

Ball State 5, Western Michigan 3
The Broncos grabbed an early lead in game two but were once again downed by a home run, as Fields notched her third of the weekend in the third inning for the eventual game-winning run. 

WMU scored a pair in the first inning off two hits and two Cardinals errors before the visitors added one in the second and a four-spot in the third. An RBI single tied the game at 2-2 in the third frame, which was followed by a two-run round-tripper to give Ball State a two-run lead. Back-to-back doubles then gave BSU a 5-2 lead. 

Western Michigan scored one in the fourth off a Skyler Sobeski RBI fielder's choice, but was held scoreless for the final three innings. 

Stefanick started the game in the pitcher's circle and suffered the loss despite tallying six strikeouts in three innings. Kurth pitched the final four innings and conceded just one hit. 

Jenna Faultersack, Nuyen, and Wyman collected two hits each. 

Up Next
Western Michigan has a pair of non-conference games next week, traveling to Fort Wayne, Ind. on Tuesday, April 16 to face Purdue Fort Wayne before facing Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. on Wednesday, April 17. 

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