KALAMAZOO, Mich. – With another edition of the classic Western Michigan versus Central Michigan rivalry set for Friday, WMUBroncos.com is taking a look back at five of the most memorable games in recent series history.
 
May 15, 2011 | WMU Advances to MAC Tournament Championship
Western Michigan crushed three home runs and scored eight runs with two outs in the second inning to defeat Central Michigan, 9-0, in five innings to advance to the championship game of the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament against Ohio, setting up a rematch of the semifinal between the two schools.

Michelle Bendewald opened up the scoring for the Broncos with a three-run homer in the top of the second. Kayla Houston kick-started the offense in the second with a single down the left-field line. Allie Carlson reached on a fielder's choice and Houston beat the throw at second to set the table for Bendewald.

The inning continued with Meredith Whitney ripping a double to the left center wall on the first pitch she saw. Lexi Jager followed with a walk and Tara Buchanan delivered a base hit through the left side that plated Whitney. After a Gracie Barstad walk loaded the bases, Courtney Rousseau, who led off the inning with a line out to third base, came to the plate for the second time and left no doubt about her second grand slam of the season, taking the pitch deep over the left field wall for an 8-0 advantage.

After the grand slam, CMU's Kari Seddon sat down the next eight batters until Houston took a 1-1 pitch over the right center field wall for her third home run of the year and fourth of her career, capping the scoring for the Broncos.

Whitney threw 78 pitches, 43 for strikes, against Central Michigan, allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out seven. She improved to 15-13 on the season.  The win put WMU in the championship game for the first time since 2009, and the fourth time under head coach Kathy Leitke. 
 
April 19, 2014 | Broncos Blank Chippewas in Eight Innings
Western Michigan scored four runs in the eighth inning to down Central Michigan 4-0. Megan Stamm provided a three-run home run in the final frame to spark the win.

With two outs and two runners on base, Stamm hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season to give the Broncos a 4-0 lead in Mount Pleasant.  In the bottom of the eighth, CMU put two runners on base before a fly out to center field ended the game.

Western Michigan began the eighth with an Ivy Schaaf double to left field followed by a Loren Nagy single to right.  After Kelsea Cichocki grounded out to advance the runners, Sabrina Gamboa broke the scoreless tie with a ground out to shortstop, scoring Schaaf. Jenny Rohn singled to right field, setting the stage for Stamm.

Allyson Kus was in control in the circle the entire afternoon, earning her 13th win and fourth shutout of the season.  In the victory, she fanned a career-high seven batters, allowing just six hits and one walk.



May 10, 2017 | Stoner's Two-Run Blast Lifts WMU Over CMU in MAC Tournament
The No. 8 seed Western Michigan softball team upset the No. 1 seed Central Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Tournament 3-1 at Firestone Stadium. The Broncos were propelled by a two-run home run by senior Abby Stoner in the top of the sixth.

Central Michigan jumped on the board in the bottom of the first off a single through the middle.  WMU starting pitcher Anissa Sanchez delivered the final two outs of the inning with a pair of infield ground balls.

The game was a pitchers' duel through the next three innings as Central Michigan's MAC Pitcher of the Year, Rachel Knapp, struck out six Broncos and Sanchez gave up just one hit.

The Broncos broke through against Knapp in the top of the fifth, when junior Aspen Williams hit a shallow single to left. After a fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases, sophomore Erin Barg ripped a ball up the middle, driving in Williams for the game-tying run.

Stoner provided the game-winning heroics in the sixth, when she smashed a one-out home run with Kelsea Cichocki aboard over the center field wall.
 

VIDEO: @WMUSoftball senior @abigailstoner had a two-run HR in the sixth to help the Broncos upset CMU. #MACtion pic.twitter.com/ae4v5Jbq0M

— #MACtion (@MACSports) May 10, 2017

The Chippewas moved a runner into scoring position in the sixth after a leadoff single and a throwing error, but Sanchez retired three straight to get out of the inning. Sanchez retired the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh with a pop up to third and a strikeout. A pair of two-out singles and an advancement on a throw put runners at second and third with the winning run at the plate for CMU. Sanchez was again cool under the pressure, getting pinch hitter Sydney Heath to hit a ground ball. WMU shortstop Brooke Wyman fielded it cleanly and flipped the ball over to third baseman Cichocki who applied the tag at the base for the game-ending out.

Sanchez fired a complete game for Western Michigan, scattering five hits and allowing one run and striking out two.
 
April 11, 2018 | Galloway Shines as Broncos Top Chippewas
A 4-1 victory by Western Michigan against Central Michigan in game two of a doubleheader was powered by Reily Galloway, who hurled a complete game, surrendering just three hits and striking out four to earn the victory.

Both Central Michigan and Western Michigan put a run on the board in the first inning before Galloway held the Chippewas scoreless the rest of the game. 

For the Broncos in the first, Mackenzie Swinehart hit a leadoff single and scored on an RBI double by Samantha Coffel. It was Coffel's team-leading 12th double of the season.

Brooke Wyman hit a solo home run, her fourth home run of the season, to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead in the third.
WMU scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh for the 4-1 final. Logan Carter hit a one-out single through the left side and pinch hitter Sophia Ehlers doubled to right center. With runners at second and third, Wyman reached first base on an error to load the bases. Coffel delivered her second RBI of the game with a single and WMU's final run of the game scored on a sacrifice fly by Marlee Wilson.

April 2, 2019 | Broncos Breeze Past Central Michigan, 12-5
Western Michigan totaled double digits in the hits and runs columns as the Broncos tallied 14 hits, including four doubles and two homers, and 12 runs in blowing past Central Michigan, 12-5 in game one of a doubleheader. 

Mackenzie Swinehart, Sydney Stefanick, and Kaylen Glenfield combined for eight of the 11 runs batted in for the Brown & Gold, with three each from Swinehart and Stefanick, on one hit apiece, along with two RBI on three hits from Glenfield.

A Jenna Faultersack double in the first and a bases-clearing two-bagger from Swinehart in the second headlined WMU's strong start to give the Broncos a 6-3 advantage. A Logan Carter RBI double and homers from Glenfield and Stefanick gave the Broncos a 10-3 lead through six as they coasted the rest of the way. 

Reily Galloway earned her third consecutive win in the pitcher's circle, tossing a complete game while allowing three earned runs in seven innings. 
 

Broncos take game one! #WeWillReign pic.twitter.com/sxzNNEawdC

— WMU Softball (@WMUSoftball) April 2, 2019

 
#WeWillReign