ATHENS, Ohio -- The Western Michigan softball team split its four-game series at Ohio after splitting another doubleheader with the Bobcats on Saturday afternoon.
Ohio took the first game of Saturday's action, 8-5, powered by a five-run fifth inning. The Broncos rebounded to earn the split with a 7-3 win in the night cap.
Reily Galloway went the distance in the circle and
Taylor Garey knocked in three runs in the series-ending victory for WMU.
| Game One
Game one was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Bobcats capture the game with a five-run fifth.
Sydney Stefanick was 2-for-2 with three RBI, while
Sophia Ehlers and Garey each knocked in a run.
Ohio struck first in the third with Katie Yun delivering an RBI single before Alexis Dawe scored on an error when Yun stole second base. WMU immediately struck back to tie things in the fourth when Ehlers delivered an RBI double and Garey followed with an RBI single. The Bobcats retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single from Allie Englant.
Stefanick provided the Bronco counter-punch in the top of the fifth with a three-run homer, scoring both Mackenzie and
Jordyn Swinehart to give WMU a 5-3 lead.
Ohio then plated five runs in the bottom half of the fifth to provide the final score of 8-5. Brooke Rice singled to score a pair before Englant added an RBI single and Mikenzie Vaughn served a two-run double into left to make it 8-5.
| Game Two
Game two started back-and-forth, but Galloway shutout the Bobcats over the final six innings to secure the victory. She allowed three earned runs, all in the first inning, allowing eight hits in seven innings with six strikeouts.
Garey was 3-for-3 with three RBI, while
Kaylen Glenfield was 2-for-3 with an RBI and
Mackenzie Swinehart went 2-for-4 with an RBI while scoring twice.Â
WMU again struck in the top of the first, jumping out to a 3-0 lead.
Mackenzie Swinehart scored on a fielding error that saw Ehlers reach.
Cassidy Brendtke then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Stefanick before Garey knocked home
Courtney Farrish with an RBI single.
The hosts tied the game in one fell swoop, as Vaughn hit a three-run homer in the bottom half of the inning. Those would be the last Ohio runs of the day.
Mackenzie Swinehart put the Broncos ahead for good in the fourth with an RBI double. Glenfield followed with a single to score
Mackenzie Swinehart to make it 5-3.Garey provided the final insurance with a two-run double in the fifth, putting WMU ahead 7-3.
| On Deck
Western Michigan returns home to Ebert Field for the first time since 2019 when the Broncos host Buffalo for a four-game series. Game one is set for Friday, April 2, at 3 p.m. ET. The teams will play a pair on Saturday, April 3, starting at 1 p.m. before concluding the series on Sunday, April 4, at Noon.
