AKRON, Ohio. – The Western Michigan softball team secured a 3-2 victory to open the Akron series on Friday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Softball Field. 
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Akron 2
LOCATION: Lee R. Jackson Softball Field (Akron, Ohio.)  
RECORDS: Western Michigan (11-14, 5-1 MAC) | Akron (17-15, 5-7 MAC)
W: Rissa Bajusz (7-5) | L: Haley Croyle (8-6)
 
Senior Courtney Farrish batted the game-winning home run in the top of the sixth to put WMU up by one for a 3-2 victory. Farrish's blast over the center field wall marked her second hit of the day and her third homer this season. Haley Boxwell also claimed two hits, while Cassidy Brendtke and Alyssa Kramer each went 1-for-3 in appearances. 
 
Western Michigan tallied seven hits to out-hit the Zips by three. Farrish was first on base for WMU with a leadoff double to center in the second. Two bats later an RBI single up the middle by Kramer, scored Haleigh Smith to get Western Michigan on the board. 
 
The Zips would answer with two runs in the bottom of the second to claim a 2-1 lead. 
 
Again, WMU led off with a double to center field off the bat of Taylor Wolfe in the third. A Brendtke single followed by a Payton Kelly sacrifice fly, scored Addison Hudson to tie the game. 
 
The Broncos posted two scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth against Akron and took the lead in the sixth. WMU held the Zips to no hits in the seventh to take the game.   
 
Autumn Godwin started in the circle for the Broncos and pitched two innings. She allowed one hit and two runs before Rissa Bajusz entered as relief in the bottom of the third. Bajusz allowed just three hits and tossed eight strikeouts to hold the Zip scoreless through the remaining five innings. 
 
Western Michigan concludes the Akron series on Saturday, April 8, with a doubleheader at 1 and 3 pm. Both games can be followed on the Zips Digital Network and live stats.