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Western Michigan University Athletics

Ashley Blanchard, WMU Photographer
4
Winner Western Michigan WMU 14-34
3
Northern Ill. NIU 18-27
Winner
Western Michigan WMU
14-34
4
Final
3
Northern Ill. NIU
18-27
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Michigan WMU 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 9 2
Northern Ill. NIU 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 4 0

W: O'Connor, Kailey (4-2) L: L. Cassell (8-9)

7
Western Mich. WMU 14-35
9
Winner Northern Ill. NIU 19-27
Western Mich. WMU
14-35
7
Final
9
Northern Ill. NIU
19-27
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Mich. WMU 0 0 1 3 0 0 3 7 7 5
Northern Ill. NIU 3 0 0 0 4 2 X 9 9 0

W: D. Stewart (5-12) L: Salyer, Kaylee (3-12)

Game Recap: Softball |

Broncos Split Doubleheader With Huskies

DEKALB, Ill. -- The Western Michigan softball team split a doubleheader on the road at Northern Illinois on Tuesday, defeating the Huskies 4-3 in the opener and falling 9-7 in the finale. 

GAME 1
Jordan Smith picked up where she left off over the weekend against Kent State, as she got the Broncos on the board in the top of the first inning. Smith doubled to center field, scoring Tristen Head and Riley Dittmar to give WMU a 2-0 lead. The Huskies responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1. 

But Smith struck again in the top of the third, blasting the ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run, pushing WMU's lead to 4-1. The home run was her 11th of the season and marked the third time in the past four games she has drove in four runs. NIU was able to cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a Bronco error. 

From there, Kailey O'Connor was able to keep the Huskies at bay. WMU was threatened in the bottom of the fifth, with NIU loading the bases with one out. NIU's Madison Matthews hit the ball to Caitlin Tighe at shortstop and Tighe threw home to get the runner out. O'Connor got the next batter, Rylie Hartman, to line out to Tighe to end the threat. O'Connor picked up her fourth win of the season and third complete game. 

GAME 2
WMU found itself in an early hole in game two, with Northern Illinois putting three runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Kelly got the Broncos on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the top of the third, cutting the lead to 3-1. Analeez Niles gave the Broncos the lead in the top of the fourth. She pinch-hit with the bases loaded and hit a bloop single to right field that cleared the bases, making it 4-3. 

The Huskies took control back in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs to push ahead 7-4. They then added two more runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 9-4 lead. Kelly got the Broncos right back into it with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, cutting the lead to 9-6. With the long-ball, Kelly tied the program record for home runs in a single game. Riley Chumbley then scored Dittmar on a single to left field to get WMU within two. The Broncos had the bases loaded with two outs but Tighe popped up to second base to end the game. 

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan hosts Ohio on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. and then takes on the Bobcats on Sunday for Senior Day at 12 p.m. 

 
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