KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan softball team dropped three tight contests to Mid-American Conference leaders Miami on Friday and Saturday at Ebert Field.
The Broncos (8-23, 2-4 MAC) opened the series with a pair of 5-4 losses to the RedHawks in a double-header on Friday.
In the opening game, Miami got off to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first.
Payton Kelly hit a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first inning to cut the lead in half.
Casey Fazzini hit a RBI double in the bottom of the second to tie things up at 2-2. The RedHawks used a big fourth inning, scoring three runs to take a 5-2 advantage. WMU's
Jordan Smith hit a two-run bomb over the left-center wall with two outs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 5-4, but the Broncos were shut down the rest of the way.
Kaylee Salyer was brought in to pitch in the fourth inning for Fazzini and kept the Broncos in the game by allowing just one hit over three innings of work.
In the second game, Miami jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but Kelly responded in the bottom of the third with a RBI single to drive in
Caitlin Tighe to tie it up. MU's Jenna Golembiewski gave the Redhawks the lead back with a two-run home run in the top of the fifth, while McKenna Campbell added a solo shot in the top of the sixth to stretch the lead to 4-1. The Broncos had two runners on in the bottom of the sixth when
Tristen Head was selected to pinch-hit for Tighe. Head then crushed a ball over the fence in left field to tie the game up at 4-4. The game went into extra innings and Miami took a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth on a RBI triple by Erin Pinter. The Broncos opened the bottom of the eighth with a walk by Fazzini and a single by Tighe.
Taylor Wolfe then popped out to first and Kelly grounded into a double play in the next at-bat to end the game. Salyer went the distance on the mound for WMU for the complete game.
On Saturday, MU once again took the early lead with two runs in the first on a RBI double by Chloe Parks. Pinter then homered in the top of the second to push the lead to 3-0. Salyer had started but was subbed out for Fazzini after the home run. Fazzini then pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits. Head belted a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Broncos were retired in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Western Michigan now heads on the road to take on rival Central Michigan on Tuesday for a double-header, beginning at 1 p.m.
