WMU softball shutout at Purdue Fort Wayne

WMU softball was defeated 4-0 at Purdue Fort Wayne Friday afternoon. The Broncos record falls to 6-12 on the season. 

The Broncos were led by Payton Kelly in the hit column for the day, going 3-3 at the plate. Haleigh Smith went an efficient 1-2 with her plate appearances. The Broncos totaled seven hits on the day.

Rissa Bajusz started on the mound for the Broncos but came out early after letting up four earned runs and striking out two. Autumn Godwin came in to relieve Bajusz and finished with 4.1 innings pitched, only allowing two hits and shutting down the Mastodons for the rest of the game.  

To start the game Purdue Fort Wayne brought home two early runs, both coming from sacrifice flies. The Mastodons took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. 

The Broncos threatened in the second inning with two singles off the bats of Haley Boxwell and Kelly but both were stranded.  

In the bottom of the second the Mastodons reached base on a single, and a homer to right center field made the score 4-0. This inning was the end of Bajusz’s day on the mound. 

WMU had another chance during the fifth inning as Kelly and Smith both reached base in the inning but were stranded yet again. 

In the seventh inning the Broncos made one last push, loading the bases and bringing up a game-tying run to the plate. Even with the tough effort to end the game the Broncos fell short and the game ended 4-0. 

Western Michigan starts its long-awaited MAC play Tuesday with a three-game stand against Bowling Green. There will be a single game Tuesday to start it off, followed by a double-header to round out the series on Wednesday. Tuesday's game begins at 3 p.m.