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Western Michigan University Athletics

Ashley Blanchard, WMU Photographer
8
Winner Western Michigan WMU 18-25, 9-10 MAC
7
Northern Illinois NIU 25-23, 10-9 MAC
Winner
Western Michigan WMU
18-25, 9-10 MAC
8
Final
7
Northern Illinois NIU
25-23, 10-9 MAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Michigan WMU 1 0 2 0 3 1 1 8 12 2
Northern Illinois NIU 0 4 0 1 2 0 0 7 8 3

W: Stefanick, Sydney (10-9) L: BRYAN (14-12)

0
Western Michigan WMU 18-26, 9-11 MAC
3
Winner Northern Illinois NIU 26-23, 11-9 MAC
Western Michigan WMU
18-26, 9-11 MAC
0
Final
3
Northern Illinois NIU
26-23, 11-9 MAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Michigan WMU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Northern Illinois NIU 0 0 1 0 1 1 X 3 8 1

W: BUMBALOUGH (2-1) L: Galloway, Reily (4-10)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Splits With NIU, Clinches Playoff Spot

DEKALB, Ill. - The Western Michigan softball team closed out its 2019 regular season with a doubleheader split at Northern Illinois University Saturday afternoon, clinching a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament with an 8-7 victory in game two of the series prior to the Huskies winning the finale 3-0. 

With the split, the Huskies win the series after a 4-3 extra-inning game one win on Friday. WMU completes its regular season slate with an 18-26 overall record and 9-11 mark in the MAC, securing the No. 8 seed for the conference tournament. 

Senior Skyler Sobeski paced the Bronco offense with five hits on the day, including her first home run of the year in game one of the twinbill, followed by a career-high three-hit game. 

Western Michigan 8, Northern Illinois 7
Four Broncos recorded multi-hit performances while Sydney Stefanick's fourth hit of the game in the seventh inning stood as game-winning run batted in as well as her 47th of the season, surpassing the WMU single-season RBI record. 

Down 5-3 after a Huskie solo homer in the fourth inning, the Broncos responded in the fifth with a three-run home run from Sobeski, her first of the season giving WMU a 6-5 lead. 

NIU regained a lead in the bottom half of the fifth, scoring a pair to take a 7-6 lead. However, the Brown & Gold had another answer, as an Erin Barg RBI double tied the game in the sixth and Stefanick's RBI single in the seventh sealed the 8-7 win. 

Stefanick also earned the win in the pitcher's circle, finishing the regular season with a 10-9 record. 

Northern Illinois 3, Western Michigan 0
The Huskies pushed across runs in the third, fifth, and six innings while Amber Bumbalough tossed a complete game shutout. 

WMU tallied six hits, half of which came from Sobeski, while stranding eight runners on base.

Reily Galloway suffered the loss in the pitcher's circle for the Broncos despite a solid outing with a season-high seven strikeouts. 

Up Next
Western Michigan will head to the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio for the 2019 MAC Tournament May 8-11. The No. 8 seeded Broncos will face the top seed, Miami at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.  

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @WMUSoftball
 
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