EL PASO, Texas – The Western Michigan softball team continues to roll during the early stages of the 2024 season. In game one, the Brown and Gold defeated UTEP 10-0 in five innings off of 11 hits offensively. Defensively, pitcher Rissa Bajusz recorded six strikeouts and limited UTEP to four total hits. During game two, the Broncos completed a come from behind effort in a 6-4 victory over Monmouth to collect their third win on the season. 

GAME ONE

In the first inning, the Broncos started off hot by scoring three runs off of three hits as a team. Riley Dittmar would open up the game with a single to left field to put the Broncos on base. After Haley Boxwell doubled to right center, Megan Welsh would homer to right center to put the Broncos up 3-0 early.

WMU would continue to score runs during the third, fourth, and fifth innings Saturday. In the third inning, Payton Kelly would single while Boxwell reached base after being hit by a pitch. With Welsh next up to bat, she singled to centerfield and scored Kelly. During the play, Welsh managed to advance to second on the throw, while Boxwell advanced to third.

During the following inning in the sixth, Taylor Garey doubled, while Taylor Wolfe walked. Following Wolfe's walk, as a pinch runner for Garey, Addison Hudson managed to steal third base. While Hudson stole third, Wolfe followed suit and stole second on the same play to put both runners in scoring position. To conclude the the inning, Dittmar singled to right field and drove in Hudson and Wolfe to put the Broncos ahead 6-0.  

The Broncos would tack on four more runs in the fifth inning: Cassidy Brendtke singled to right center to score Welsh to begin the inning, while Smith and Garey reached base after Smith singled and a Garey walked. After Brendtke was thrown out at home, Dittmar responded by doubling to right center. Dittmar's double would score Wolfe, Hudson, and Smith on the play. 


GAME TWO

In game two, the Broncos fought back from a two run deficit against Monmouth to defeat the Hawks 6-4 to conclude Saturday's action in Texas.  The Brown and Gold totaled seven hits Saturday, with Bajuz leading the way with two hits along with two RBI's. 

Down 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Welsh homered to right field to tie the game up at two all after driving in herself and Dittmar: Welsh's two run shot would mark her second home run in two consecutive games. Later in the fourth inning, the Brown and Gold continued to chip away at their deficit when Emily Yacapraro lined out to center field to score Megan Malartsik. Dittmar would conclude the scoring in the inning after she tripled to right field, driving in Bajusz. 

In the following inning, Bajusz would double to center field, scoring Gabbie Evans and Welsh to propel WMU to a 6-4 advantage and their first lead of the evening. The Broncos were able to secure the 6-4 victory by limiting Monmouth to zero hits over the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings Saturday. 

Historical Notes 

The Broncos have scored 27 runs in their first four games of the 2024 season, marking the most runs scored in an opening four games of a campaign since 2010. During the 2010 season, the Brown and Gold scored a total of 23 runs in their first four games. 

Up Next

The Brown and Gold will face Monmouth tomorrow at 11:00 AM on YouTube to conclude the UTEP Memorial Tournament.