CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- The Western Michigan softball team returns to the diamond after a week off in the Volunteer state.

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan softball Head Coach Marlee Wilson earned her 50th win during the Hilltopper Classic this weekend as the Broncos split the tournament 2-2. WMU's win over Butler on Saturday morning was the first milestone win for Wilson since taking over the program in 2024.

The Brown and Gold also earned a win over in-state rival Detroit Mercy at the tournament hosted by Western Kentucky. Western Michigan was not able to knock off the host team in either game for its two losses. Junior outfielder Megan Malartsik led the Broncos with a .615 batting average as she went 8-of-13 at the plate with a double and her first career home run with WMU. In the circle, senior Jadeyn Merrill earned her first win with the Brown and Gold over Butler in a complete game. She also led the team in ERA at 2.00 in 7.0 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts.

MILESTONE VICTORY
At the Hilltopper Classic in February, Western Michigan Head Coach Marlee Wilson earned a landmark win over Butler. Wilson picked up her 50th win heading the Bronco program in WMU's 12-2 run-rule win over the Bulldogs on Feb. 21. Wilson reached 50 wins in 113 games, becoming the third fastest head coach to reach the milestone in the 50th season of the program. Hall of Fame head coach Fran Ebert who started the program in 1976 has been the fastest coach to 50 wins dating back to the program's beginning. Ebert earned her 50th win in the first three seasons she coached, with 50 wins in under 80 games.

BATTING ON TOP
Junior outfielder Megan Malartisk continues to be the plate leader for Western Michigan going into the Cathi Maynard Invitational. Malartsik is currently on a five-game hitting streak going back to Feb. 15 and has recorded a hit in all but three of the 13 games she has appeared in. As the Broncos lead-off batter over the past four games, Malartsik has connected on eight hits, scored five runs, recorded the first home run of her career, and added five RBIs. 

Overall, Malartsik is batting .516 through the first month of the 2026 season with an on-base percentage of .571 and an OPS of 1.313. Malartsik leads the Mid-American Conference in batting average heading into this weekend's tournament. She is also ranked 23rd nationally for batting average, and is in the Top 60 nationally for on-base percentage.

HOME RUNS ON HOME RUNS
The Brown and Gold continued to pile on the home runs early in the season. At the Hilltopper Classic, Western Michigan had a long ball in three of its four games, including a season-high three homers against Butler. The Broncos now have 15 home runs on the season for fourth in the MAC. But with WMU having played eight less games than league leader Miami (OH), the Brown and Gold are second in the conference and 51st among Division I teams in home runs per game at 1.15. 

Senior pitcher/designated player Jadeyn Merrill took the lead in home runs for Western Michigan at the Hilltopper Classic. Merrill had her second game of the season with two home runs in the Broncos 12-2 win over Butler on the 21st. While freshman Bella Duncan had a big weekend prior at the Mardi Gras Classic with her second and third home runs of the season. Both of Duncan's home runs came in a high-scoring 16-12 loss to Jacksonville State on Sunday. While senior designated player Jayden Merrill had a bomb filled day against the hosts South Alabama just two days prior. Merrill connected on a pair of two-run homers to take the lead twice over the Jaguars in what turned out to be a close 5-4 defeat.

CATHI MAYNARD INVITATIONAL
The Broncos play in their final non-conference tournament of the season this weekend in Tennessee. WMU is one of four teams that are competing in the Cathi Maynard Invitational. Hosted by Austin Peay, the Brown and Gold are scheduled for five games this weekend against the Governors, the Butler Bulldogs, and the Lipscomb Bison. Western Michigan will have a rematch with the Bulldogs first on Friday afternoon before playing Austin Peay for only the second time in program history.

The Broncos will then make the short hour trip south to the Music City for a doubleheader with Lipscomb on Saturday. This will be the first program meeting between WMU and the Bison, starting at 2:00 p.m. on March 7. The Brown and Gold will then wrap up their time at the Cathi Maynard Invitational with another game at Austin Peay on Sunday.

SCOUTING THE GOVERNORS
Austin Peay has a 12-8 record going into its second home tournament in as many weekends. The Governors swept the Governors Classic last weekend with wins over Stonehill, Southern Indiana, Central Michigan, and Ohio. Away from Cathi Maynard Park, Austin Peay has earned wins over West Georgia, Drexel, Lamar, McNeese State, Houston Christian, and Prairie View A&M. 

The Governors are led at the plate by senior outfielder Emilee Baker with a .431 batting average that includes 31 hits, one triple, 4 RBIs, and seven walks. Austin Peay's slugging threat at the plate, senior infielder Sammie Shelander, has a .407 batting average with seven doubles, four home runs, and 16 RBIs. Shelander is also the Governors leder in the field with a 1.000 fielding percentage on 137 putouts and three assists. In the circle senior right-hander Alanah Jones has a 7-3 record through 52.0 innings pitched. Jones has an ERA of 2.96 on 51 hits and 22 earned runs while throwing out 47 batters.

SCOUTING THE BISON
Lipscomb has a 5-14 record for the upcoming weekend with wins over UAB, SEMO, Towson, Furman, and Chattanooga. The Bison recently broke a nine-game losing skid with their win over the Mocs on Wednesday afternoon. Lipscomb erupted for five runs in the second inning and held off a late Chattanooga rally to secure a 5–4 victory behind freshman pitcher Brooke Beam and the Bisons' defense. 

Lipscomb has two leaders at the plate in junior utility Macyn Kirby and graduate utility Chapel Cunningham. Kirby has a .471 batting average in 51 at-bats with 24 hits, 5 RBIs, and five runs scored. Cunningham leads the Bison in hits with 25 so far this season while walking nine times for an on-base percentage of .486. Beam leads Lipscomb in the circle with a 2-6 record through 47.1 innings pitched and an ERA of 4.14. 

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Similar to Western Michigan, Butler has not played a game since the Hilltopper Classic. While the Broncos break was part of their initial schedule, the Bulldogs have had their last three games either canceled or postponed to a later date. At the Hilltopper Classic, Butler picked up a lone win over Detroit Mercy behind senior Hailey Conger's 6 RBIs that tied the Butler record for single-game RBIs. The Bulldogs had three players named to the Feb. 23 BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after the tournament in Conger, freshman infielder Kendall Graves, and sophomore pitcher Maren Berger.