FORT MYERS, FL. -- The Western Michigan softball team concluded its 12-game slate in the Sunshine State with a 4-1 defeat to Purdue Sunday. During the game, senior pitcher Rissa Bajusz recorded six strikeouts, while senior center fielder Addison Hudson led the Broncos offensively with two hits.  

During the first two innings of play, the Broncos saw a total of three baserunners against Purdue: In the first inning Haley Boxwell recorded a single, while in the second inning, Broncos Cassidy Brendtke and Haleigh Smith walked to put runners on base for WMU. However, in both innings, the Brown and Gold were unable to score Boxwell, Brendtke, and Smith before recording three outs. 

Later in the fourth, after allowing a double, Bajusz bounced back and logged two strikeouts defensively in the inning to keep the score deadlocked at 0-0. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Broncos struck first with a run to take a 1-0 lead over the Boilermakers. To start the bottom half of the inning, Megan Welsh led off the fourth with a walk and Brendtke would advance pinch runner Emily Yacapraro to second with a ground out. Eventually, Yacapraro would reach third base after Gabbie Evans hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Following the sacrifice fly, Bajusz would score Yacapraro after reaching first base on a fielding error by the Purdue defense. 

In the following inning, WMU saw hits from Hudson and Payton Kelly, with each Bronco picking up a single. Hudson and Kelly would eventually advance to second and third base with two outs, however, the Brown and Gold would record a third out before scoring the two baserunners. 

During the top of the sixth inning, Purdue would tack on two runs to take a 2-1 lead over the Brown and Gold. In the bottom half of the inning, Evans would hit a single, but the Broncos would record two consecutive outs to end the inning. 

In the seventh and final inning of play, Hudson would lead off the inning with a single into center field for her second hit of the day. However, after her hit, the Broncos would see consecutive outs to conclude Sunday's game against Purdue.  

Historical Notes 

Bajusz, now with 385 career strikeouts, is 11 K's from passing Jennifer Vanover (1996-99) and Laura Stewart (2001-04) to claim the fifth most career strikeouts by a pitcher for the WMU softball team.  

Up Next

The Brown and Gold ended play in Florida with a 6-6 record and will look to begin a new winning streak when they begin Mid-American Conference play against Miami (Ohio) on the road Friday, March 15, at 5:00 PM.