Lady Broncos fall to University of Notre Dame in six innings

By Katrina Murphy
Sports Editor

The Western Michigan University women’s softball team scored just four runs in six innings as they fell to University of Notre Dame, 13-4, during their 2010 home opener on Thursday evening.

Bronco sophomore Gracie Barstad continued her hot hitting streak, scoring her second home run of the year in the fifth inning.

After trailing 11-1 at the bottom of the fifth, the Brown and Gold snapped out of their daze to score three runs on three hits. Junior Lexi Jager ran a double down the left field line, picking up Western Michigan’s second double of the game.

Barstad stepped up to the plate and stroked a hit over the left field wall to make the score 11-3 in favor of the Fighting Irish.

Sophomore Courtney Rousseau followed close behind Barstad, with a base hit to right field.  Teammates Meredith Whitney, Michelle Bendewald and Kayle Houston all drew walks, as Houston brought Whitney over the plate for WMU’s fourth run of the game.

The Lady Broncos managed to keep the Gold and Blue scoreless throughout two and two-third innings before the Irish hit a two-out grand slam off of Christine Lux’s bat to bring in runs from Alexa Maldonado, Sadia Pitzenberger and Kristina Wright.

The Brown and Gold picked up their first score of the game when Whitney led the second inning with a double, her team-leading fifth of the year.  Houston and sophomore Jenn Tschetter also recorded hits against the Fighting Irish.

Western Michigan will travel to St. Louis, Mo. for the University of St. Louis Tournament on March 20-21.  The Lady Broncos will face the St. Louis Billikens and Iowa State University twice during tournament play.

The next home game for the Brown and Gold will be on Friday, April 2, in the Mid-American Conference opener against the University at Buffalo.

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Posted by heraldstaff on Mar 18 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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