TUSCON, Ariz. -- The Western Michigan softball team opened the 2025 campaign an 8-0 win over Michigan State and a 14-6 loss to No. 17 Arizona at the Candrea Classic, hosted by UA, on Friday.

MICHIGAN STATE RECAP
Jensen Gremillion was stellar on the mound, going the full 6.0 innings with just two hits allowed. WMU's defense behind her was stellar as well, with Gremillion only striking out one batter, the Broncos made 18 putouts without a single error. 

Outfielder Riley Dittmar was 2-for-2 with a solo home run, a 2 RBI single and a sacrifice fly for four RBIs. Taylor Wolfe and Riley Chumbley each had doubles, with Chumbley recording a RBI and Wolfe scoring two runs and driving one in while going 3-for-3 from the plate. Caitlin Tighe was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. 

WMU got to work early, putting up three runs in the top of the second inning. Wolfe dropped a bunt to score Tighe. Wolfe then stole second and Payton Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Dittmar then singled to right-center to score Micaela Booth and Wolfe and take a 3-0 lead. 

The Broncos added three more in the top of the fourth. Wolfe opened the inning with a double and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kelly. Dittmar then came up to the plate hit a sacrifice fly out to left field to score Wolfe. Tristen Head singled to left field and moved to second when Jadeyn Merrill was hit by a pitch. With two runners on Chumbley singled to left to score Head and load the bases. Merrill then score don a wild pitch to push the lead to 6-0. 

Dittmar opened the top of the sixth with a home run to right field to make it 7-0. Later on in the inning, Chumbley doubled to left field and was pinch run for by Emily Yacapraro. Tighe then singled down the left field line to score Yacapraro for WMU's final run. Gremillion got the Spartans out in order in the bottom of the sixth for the win. 

ARIZONA RECAP
Arizona put the Broncos in an early hole, scoring one in the first and three in the second. 

Down 4-0 in the fourth Kelly singled up the middle to start. Dittmar reached on a fielder's choice and Kelly advanced to second on a throwing error. Head then loaded the bases with a single to right field. Merrill then reached on a throwing error as UA tried to turn the double play. Head was out at second but both Kelly and Dittmar scored to cut the lead to 4-2. Yacaparo came in to run for Merrill after Chumbley flied out to center field. After Tighe walked, the Broncos had runners on first and second with Booth up to bat. Booth took the third pitch of the at bat deep to left field for her first collegiate home run, giving WMU a 5-2 lead. Haleigh Smith then tripled to right field and scored on a wild pitch the next at bat. 

But that was all the scoring for the Broncos. The Wildcats added one in the bottom of the fourth, two more in the bottom of the fifth and then seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. 

NEXT UP
Western Michigan squares off against Michigan State again on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET That is followed by the Broncos taking on the Washington Huskiest at 4:30 p.m. Both games can be watched live on FloSoftball.com.