MARTIN, Tenn. -- The Western Michigan softball team wrapped up the Skyhawk Classic, hosted by UT-Martin, on Friday, splitting a double-header with Murray State.
GAME 1
The opening game was a pitcher's duel between WMU's
Jensen Gremillion and MSU's Raylee Robby. Roby pitched four scoreless innings before being replaced by Bre Haislip at the start of the fifth. Both teams were scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Murray State's Erin Lackey reached on a fielding error and drove in Kenley Minor.
The Racers held the 1-0 lead until the top of the seventh inning, when the flood gates opened for the Broncos.
Caitlin Tighe opened the inning with a double to center field. After
Taylor Wolfe struck out
Riley Dittmar was up and struck out swinging on a wild pitch and was able to reach first and Tighe advanced to third. With
Micaela Booth up to bat, Dittmar stole second. During another wild pitch, Dittmar advanced to third and Tighe scored. Booth then singled to center field to drive in Dittmar.
Leading 2-1 and with just one out,
Haleigh Smith came on to run for Booth.
Jadeyn Merrill walked to put two on base. After
Payton Kelly struck out,
Riley Chumbley walked to load the bases.
Kailey O'Connor came on to pinch hit and then reached on a throwing error, scoring both Merrill and Smith to give the Broncos a 4-1 lead.
Chelsea Weatherford pinch-ran for O'Connor and then advanced on a throwing error by the catcher during a stolen base attempt and Chumbley scored to make it 5-1. After a walk by
Rylee O'Brien, Tighe went up to bat and repeated what she did at the start of the inning, driving a double to center field to score O'Brien and Weatherford. Gremillion then got the Racers to go down in order in the bottom of the seventh for her second complete game of the season.
GAME 2
Murray State took the very early lead in the second game, with Katy Huels hitting a two-run home run in the top of the first. The Broncos countered with a run in the bottom of the inning, with Merrill driving in Dittmar with a two-out single. Western Michigan then tied it up at 2-2 in the bottom of the second when
Jordan Smith hit her first home run of the season to left field.
The Racers put three up on the board in the top of the third on a throwing error and then a two-RBI single by Kayleigh White to go ahead 5-2. Smith cut into the lead with her second RBI of the game, reaching on a fielder's choice to second base and scoring
Payton Kelly. Murray State responded again with two runs in the top of the fifth to make it 7-3. Dittmar scored her second run of the game, this time on a passed ball to cut the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth. WMU had once last chance in the bottom of the seventh inning. Smith hit her second home run of the game to left field, cutting the lead to 7-5, but that's where the rally ended.
UP NEXT
WMU heads to the University of Evansville for the 2025 Aces Tournament next weekend. The Broncos will play Saint Louis, Evansville, UT-Martin and Ohio State.
