FORT MYERS, FL.  – The Western Michigan softball team split its two game slate Friday at the Florida Gulf Coast University Spring Break Classic. In game one, the Broncos defeated Pittsburgh 5-0 after two hits from Riley Dittmar and five combined RBI from Payton Kelly and Gabbie Evans. During game two, the Brown and Gold lost to FGCU 6-2. Offensively, Megan Welsh led the Broncos with one hit and two RBI. 

Game One 

In the Brown and Gold's 5-0 win over Pittsburg, the Broncos recorded seven hits and scored five runs in their shutout win Friday afternoon. 
After totaling two hits over the first two innings, Western Michigan tallied three hits during a three-run third inning to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third Friday. To begin the inning, Addison Hudson singled to shortstop and Dittmar followed suit to single up the middle to put two on and nobody out for the Brown and Gold. Continuing the offensive attack for the Broncos, Payton Kelly tripled and scored on an error to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead after three innings of play. 

Later in the fifth, WMU extended its lead by scoring its fourth run of game one. To open the inning, Dittmar would collect a leadoff hit with a single to right field. Following up on Dittmar's hit, Kelly laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Dittmar to second. Immediately after Kelly's sacrifice, Evans doubled down the infield line and scored Dittmar to extend the WMU lead to 4-0 in the fifth. 

With one out in the top of the seventh, Dittmar and Kelly recorded back-to-back walks to put two on to begin the inning. After the two walks, Kelly advanced to second, and Dittmar advanced to third on a wild pitch with Evans up to bat for the Brown and Gold. Eventually, Evans would ground out and drive in Dittmar to improve the Bronco lead to 5-0. Over the final three innings, the Brown and Gold allowed only two hits as they cruised to a 5-0 victory over Pitt. 

Game Two 

The Broncos would score all two runs in the first inning against FGCU Friday evening. Dittmar would reach base after being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning for the Broncos. Following Dittmar's HBP, Kelly would walk to put two on and nobody out for WMU. Next, Haley Boxwell would load the bases during the first by hitting a single up the middle to bring up Welsh to bat. The graduate student outfielder would double and score Kelly and Dittmar during the play to help the Broncos build a  2-0 lead over FGCU in the first inning. 

The Brown and Gold were limited to two hits over the remaining six innings Friday. In the third inning, Dittmar recorded a leadoff single. However, the Broncos would record three straight outs to end the inning. In the fourth inning, Welsh managed to reach base after a FGCU error, but the Broncos were unable to advance her offensively. Later, during the top of the sixth inning, Dittmar reached base again after a walk to put one on and nobody out for WMU. With Kelly up to bat, she would record the Broncos final hit of the game by reaching first base off of a fielder's choice.

Historical Notes

WMU's 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh was the softball team's first win over a Power 5 school since February 8, 2020, versus Arizona State. 

Bajusz now with 374 strikeouts on her career resume, is 22 strikeouts away from passing Laura Stewert (2001-04) and Jennifer Vanover (1996-99) for sole possession of the fifth most strikeouts created in WMU softball history. On the national level, she is also closing the gap on the active top 50 list of NCAA softball career strikeouts: Bajusz trails Melissa Holzopfel (Cleveland St.) by a differential of 22 strikeouts to enter inside the active top 50. 

Up Next

On Saturday, the Brown and Gold will face Florida State University at 12:30 PM and University of Pittsburgh at 5:30 PM.