By Staff
TEMPE, Ariz. – Western Michigan went into this past weekend's Kajikawa Classic at Arizona State, knowing it would be facing some of the top-ranked teams in the country.
After a five-inning shutout of Syracuse, 8-0, the Broncos come back to Kalamazoo with a 3-2 record heading into their next spring tournament.
Western Michigan scored eight runs on seven hits in five innings to shut down the Orange.
Molly Mroczek and Brittney Reist provided the power in the win, each slamming a home run in the contest. Mroczek's came in the top of the first inning with one out and no one aboard. That run ended up being the winner.
WMU tacked on another run in the third when Amanda Heckaman drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Amanda McBride, who opened the frame with a base on balls as well. Two of the Broncos four walks earned during the game came in the third inning.
The offense sealed the deal in the top of the fifth. With one out, Mroczek singled and was replaced on the base path by freshman Sarah Thomas. Kristi Strange knocked a single and was followed by a base hit from Heckaman, which scored Thomas. Jenna Stuppy wrapped a base hit up the middle to clear the bases, driving in two more runs. Becky Bartosz drew a walk, setting the table for Reist's second three-run home run in as many days.
Along with all of the offense, Kyla Sullivan turned in her third complete-game victory of the trip, shutting down the Orange and allowing just a pair of hits. Syracuse led off the bottom of the first and second innings with singles but could do nothing with them as SU had just one base runner reach second base and did not get another batter on base until the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Nicole Miller reached on an error.
Western…2
Arizona…6
Bartosz provided the offense on a two-run home run in a 6-2 loss to No. 6 ranked Arizona State at the Kajikawa Classic on Saturday night. The Broncos head into the final day of play with a 2-2 record and a date with Syracuse.
ASU opened up the offense with a run in the first but it was the Sun Devils' five-run second inning that was the deciding factor. The Broncos entered the bottom half of the inning behind by six runs. Stuppy opened the frame with a single and she was followed by Bartosz's shot to center field.
Arizona State ended the game with 10 hits, while Western Michigan managed only three base hits. Strange slapped her first double of the season during the night's contest. Strange led the nation in doubles per game (0.48) a year ago and set the WMU and Mid-American Conference record for doubles in a seasons with 23.
Western…3
Cal-State…1
Western Michigan used a three-run shot off the bat of Reist to defeat Cal-State Fullerton, 3-1, on day two of the Kajikawa Classic being held in Tempe, Ariz.
The Titans received 54 votes in the season-opening USA Today/NFCA poll heading into this weekend's tournament.
Reist belted her first-career home run in the second inning to give starting pitcher Sullivan all the run support she would need as the junior scattered five hits and gave up just one score, while striking out five Titans in the process.
Fullerton had its chances later in the game but the Bronco defense stepped up when they needed it the most. Molly Mroczek gunned down a base runner at the plate to keep the Titans scoreless in the seventh inning and even though one run eventually crossed the plate, it happened with just one runner on base at the time.
Western…2
Nevada…1
WMU's first opponent was Nevada and the Broncos captured a 2-1 extra-inning victory.
The Broncos fell to No. 8 Stanford, 11-1 in five innings, to end day one.
After seven innings could not decide an outcome, the Wolfpack (0-1) and Broncos (1-0) took matters into extra frames. Nevada went down in order after a runner had been placed on second to begin the inning.
Western Michigan began the bottom of the eighth with McBride on second. Mandi Sayres flied out to right field and Albani Shepherd, serving as a pinch hitter, grounded out back to the circle. Strange ended things with a two-out single to score McBride and end the game.
Bartosz was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and Heckaman also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3. Stuppy collected the Broncos' only extra-base hit of the day with a double to score Heckaman for the Brown and Gold's first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning.
Nevada was held in check until the top of the seventh when the Wolfpack brought one run across the plate to force extra innings.
It was the only blemish on a complete-game victory for Sullivan. Sullivan earned her first win of the season by allowing just three hits and no earned runs.
The Wolfpacks score in the seventh was the result of a throwing error. Sullivan walked just two batters and fanned six.
In the night cap, WMU fell to No. 8 Stanford, 11-1 in five innings.
Stuppy drove in the Broncos only run of the game and went 1-for-1 at the plate.
Sayres collected Western Michigan's only other hit against the Cardinal.