KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan softball team hosts the current Mid-American Conference leaders this weekend with a three game series against the Akron Zips. 

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan overcame a seven-run deficit and led for all of the second game in a doubleheader win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 16-13 and 9-2. The Broncos combined for 27 hits and 25 runs across two games on Tuesday afternoon at Ebert Field, moving their season record to above .500 at 14-13.

Along with connecting on almost 30 hits over the afternoon, WMU had six home runs and six other multi-base hits while setting a new season high for home runs in a game with four in the second game of the doubleheader. The Brown and Gold's offense on Tuesday was led by Bella Duncan with six hits on nine at-bats and adding 8 RBIs. Five pitchers appeared in the circle for Western Michigan with sophomore Kaylee Salyer and freshman Hannah Potts recording the two wins.

MIDWEEK MEGA-HIT
WMU set multiple game-highs on Tuesday afternoon it its doubleheader with the Grizzlies. The Brown and Gold had their most at-bats (33), runs (16), RBIs (15), doubles (5), and home runs (4) in a game by the time the two games wrapped up. Western Michigan also had its best game bringing runs in as a program in 7 seasons on Tuesday.

The Broncos had 15 RBIs in their first game of the doubleheader, a mark they haven't hit since March of 2019. WMU recorded 18 RBIs in an 18-10 win at Akron on March 29, 2019 to come three RBIs short of the program record. The Brown and Gold brought in 21 RBIs back in 1979 against Delta College. The closest Western Michigan has gotten to its program record in RBIs since was over 15 years ago during the 2010 season. The Broncos opened 2010 with a 21-16 win over Ole Miss, recording 20 RBIs to come one shy of the program mark.

WEEKLY HONORS
Freshman pitcher Hannah Potts earned WMU's first weekly award recognition of the season on Tuesday afternoon. Potts was named the MAC Pitcher of the Week by league head coaches for the best game of her collegiate career so far during the Brown and Gold's series win over Bowling Green. In Western Michigan's March 21 1-0 win over the Falcons, Potts threw her first complete shutout, limiting Bowling Green to a season-low single hit.

While keeping the Falcons to only a hit, Potts also set a new career-high in strikeouts with 9 K's on the afternoon in her third complete outing of the season. Potts had the Broncos' best performance in the circle at limiting hits since April of 2024, when senior Rissa Bajusz kept Bowling Green to a hit in a five-inning 11-0 victory

NEW CAREER MARKS
On Tuesday, four different Broncos set new career highs against Oakland. Senior infielder Jordan Smith, sophomore outfielder Parker Ostach, and freshman Bella Duncan all set new personal records for hits in a game. Duncan led the way with four hits, followed by Smith with three, and Ostach with two hits.  All nine hits among the three players were connected on in the first game of the day.

Duncan set six other new career highs on Tuesday, both at the plate and in the circle. At the plate, Duncan set new highs in runs scored (4), RBIs (7), and doubles (2). In the circle, Duncan had her longest outing in a month at 2.0 innings, where she set a new low in runs allowed at 0 and matched her records of hits allowed (0) and walks allowed (0).

Junior infielder Analeez Niles was the other WMU player that set new career-highs against Oakland. Niles scored two runs and hit two home runs in the second game of the day for new career marks. 

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan welcomes the Akron Zips for a three game series this weekend at Fran Ebert Field. The Broncos lead the series 47-30 going into the 78th meeting on Friday afternoon between the two teams. Last season Akron swept WMU at Lee R. Jackson Field. The Brown and Gold fell in the opening game of the series 12-3 and then dropped a doubleheader 6-4 and 9-1 two days later on Sunday. 

Western Michigan does have a strong home record against the Zips, having swept the last series in Kalamazoo in 2024. During the sweep in 2024, senior pitcher Risa Bajusz had 10 strikeouts to have 424 K's on her career. Her 424 punchouts ranked fourth all-time in program history in the WMU career strikeout category. The sweep also put the Brown and Gold on a five game win streak, a potential they have this weekend as well.

SCOUTING THE ZIPS
Akron is the current MAC leader with five wins and only one loss through two full series. The only MAC loss of the year for the Zips came at Miami as the RedHawks took the series finale 8-7 on Akron's home field. Overall, the Zips are 13-17 with non-conference victories over Canisius, Charleston, Charleston Southern, Illinois, MTSU, UConn, and Western Carolina. 

Akron is led by senior outfielder Meagan Lee at the plate who is batting .381 with 37 hits, six doubles, a triple, and 13 RBIs. The Zips only have one other batter hitting above .300 in junior infielder Sophia Wygast. In 29 games this season, Wygast is .315 at the plate for 28 hits, eight doubles, five home runs, and a team-high 28 RBIs. Akron has the most prolific pitcher in the MAC in junior Macy Walters. Walters leads the conference in innings pitched at 85.0 and is ranked 66th nationally. The junior has a 7-8 record in 18 appearances with a 4.61 ERA and 33 strikeouts.