EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Western Michigan softball team split a pair of one-run games in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Evansville. The Broncos took game one, 4-3, behind a seventh-inning, three-run homer from
Sydney Stefanick, before the host Purple Aces rebounded to take game two, 5-4.
| GAME ONE
The series opener saw the Broncos strike first, then fall behind before Stefanick's homer decided the game in the seventh.
Samantha Coffel was 3-for-4 at the plate, while
Sophia Ehlers added a 2-for-3 performance with a run scored.
Jordyn Swinehart contributed the other RBI. In the circle,
Reily Galloway went the distance, allowing just one earned run and striking out 10 in seven innings of work.
Top 4th | WMU 1, UE 0
The Broncos struck first in the fourth.
Samantha Coffel started the inning with a leadoff single before Taylor Kehoe pinch ran for her.
Rissa Bajusz singled and a Evansville error allowed her to move up to second and put Kehoe on third.
Cassidy Brendtke hit a grounder to third and the Aces retired Kehoe at home, putting runners on the corner with one out.
Jordyn Swinehart then delivered an RBI groundout to second to score Bajusz before
Mackenzie Swinehart grounded out to end the inning.
Bottom 5th | WMU 1, UE 1
Evansville tied things in the fifth. Galloway struck out the first two Purple Aces before issuing a walk to Marah Wood. Haley Woolf followed with a double to center, scoring Wood, before Katie McLean filed out to end the frame.
Bottom 6th | UE 3, WMU 1
The hosts plated a pair in the sixth to take the lead. Hannah Hood started things with a one-out single. She then stole second and advanced to third on an error before a bunt single by Jenna Lis brought her home. Halie Fain pinch ran for Lis and stole second, then came around to score on another Bronco error. Galloway induced a pop-up and flyout to end the inning.
Top 7th | WMU 4, UE 3
Western Michigan took advantage of UE miscues before using the long ball to take the win.
Mackenzie Swinehart reached on an error before Ehlers followed with a single to left. Stefanick then sent the first pitch she saw over the fence in left ot make it 4-3.
Bottom 7th | WMU 4, UE 3
Again pitching with a lead, Galloway slammed the door in the bottom half, getting a ground out and consecutive strikeouts to earn her second victory of the season.
| GAME TWO
Another back and forth game saw the Purple Aces come out on top by a run in the night cap. Ehlers and Bajusz were both 2-for-4 at the plate, each contributing an RBI.
Alyssa Kramer added and RBI and run scored while Kehoe scored twice. Stefanick started and struck out five in two innings of work, allowing two earned runs. Bajusz took the loss, allowing just one unearned run and one hit in 2.2 innings.
Bottom 2nd | UE 2, WMU 0
The Aces struck early in the first. Eryn Gould led off with a double to right. After Stefanick struck out Lindsay Renneisen, Wood homered to right to make it 2-0. Stefanick got two more strikeouts to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd | UE 4, WMU 0
Evansville doubled the lead in the third. Woolf's one-out double got things started before McLean walked and Lis flew out for the second out. Hood followed with a single to right, scoring Woolf. Hood stole second and Bella Coffey walked to load the bases before Jessica Feher was walked to score McLean. Bajusz entered the circle and got Gould to fly out to limit the damage.
Top 4th | UE 4, WMU 3
The Broncos came roaring back with a three-run fourth. Coffel was hit by a pitch with one out before Kehoe pinch ran. Bajusz singled through the right side to put two on before Brendkte reached on an error that saw Kehoe score. Kramer than delivered an RBI single to score Bajusz and cut the Evansville lead to 4-2.
Mackenzie Swinehart then reached on a fielder's choice, with Brendtke making the second out a third. Ehlers followed with a single to center, scoring Kramer, before Stefanick flew out to end the rally with Evansville holding on to a 4-3 lead.
Top 5th | WMU 4, UE 4
Kehoe and Bajusz delivered to tie the game in the fifth. Kehoe sent a two-out double to left before Bajusz fought off a 1-2 pitch into right center, scoring Kehoe to tie the game.
Bottom 6th | UE 5, WMU 4
This time it was Evansville scoring late to take the win. Wood reached on a one-out error before Mea Adams pinch ran for her and stole second. Wood singled to left, advancing on a throw to put runners on second and third. McLean drew a walk to load the bases before Galloway entered the circle for Bajusz. Galloway got a strikeout of Lis on four pitches before she walked Hood on a full count to give the Aces the lead. She then struck out Elyse Hickey to end the frame.
Top 7th | UE 5, WMU 4
The Broncos didn't go quietly in the seventh.
Courtney Farrish doubled to right-center to start the inning, but
Kaylen Glenfield and Coffel followed with flyouts before Bajusz grounded out to end the game.
| ON DECK
The rubber match of this three-game series is set for Sunday, March 14. First pitch in Evansville is set for Noon ET.
