NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Western Michigan softball team began competition at the Belmont Bruin Challenge in Nashville on Friday. The Broncos dropped game one to Northern Kentucky, 3-2, and fell in game two to host team Belmont University, 7-2.
Western Michigan had seven hits between the two games.
Sydney Stefanick picked up two hits on the day with two RBI in the game against Belmont. Senior outfielder
Mackenzie Swinehart scored two runs and earned a hit during game one.
Sophia Ehlers,
Kaylen Glenfield,
Samantha Coffel and
Courtney Farrish also each collected a hit.
Game one started off as a defensive battle as the first six innings went scoreless with just three hits for each team allowed. WMU loaded the bases in the top of the fourth as Coffel was put on base with a walk, followed by a single from Ehlers and another walk by
Jordyn Swinehart. Despite the scoring situation,
Emma Nuyen grounded out to second base to leave three runners stranded on base.
Western Michigan took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Alyssa Kramer ended up on first hit by a pitch, advancing on a single from Swinehart. With bases loaded again after a walk by
Samantha Pico,
Sydney Stefanick reached first off an error by the Northern Kentucky shortstop to score Swinehart and Kramer. Runners advanced to second and third as
Cari Padula took the out at first on a fielder's choice, but the Norse kept extra runs from coming in and ended the inning with two still on base.
Northern Kentucky came up with its own bases-loaded situation in the final inning after a walk and a pair of singles. A third single, this one to left field, scored the first two runs, while a third runner advanced on an error by shortstop Kramer to give the Norse the walk-off win.
Stefanick took the loss against Northern Kentucky, allowing three runs over 6.1 innings with an impressive six strikeouts.
Game two was a back-and-forth battle over six innings. The Broncos drew first with an early run in the top of the first thanks to
Mackenzie Swinehart. The senior reached first base on an error by the shortstop, successfully stealing second base during the next batter and advancing to third on another throwing error, this time by the catcher. A ground-out to third base by Stefanick scored the runner.
Belmont answered in the bottom of the second with three runs off four hits, helped along by a pair of doubles. WMU came back in the next inning to put another run on the board. Ehlers found herself on base after reaching first on a wild pitch on a dropped third strike. Stefanick hit a double out to deep right-center field to score her and bring the score to 3-2, Bruins leading.
The bottom of the fourth inning saw Belmont score another trio of runs with the Broncos in pitching trouble. The leadoff batter reached first on an error in the outfield, advancing to second and scoring thanks to a double by the next batter up. From there, the bases were loaded after two walks and a wild pitch advance. Freshman pitcher
Autumn Godwin walked the next two batters to send in a pair of runs and keep the bases loaded. Stefanick entered to end the inning with three runners still left on base for the Bruins.
The Broncos were unable to come back from the 6-2 deficit. Belmont earned its last run of the game in the seventh with a solo-shot home run to left.
Godwin started against Belmont and threw for 3.2 innings, letting in six runs. Stefanick threw for the final 2.1 innings, surrendering one run and striking out four.
Western Michigan continues the Bruin Challenge tomorrow with repeat games against Northern Kentucky at 11 AM ET and Belmont at 1:30 PM ET. WMU concludes its stay in Tennessee on Sunday, playing Wisconsin-Green Bay at 10 AM ET.
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