Eagles Drop a 7-3 Decision to Rival Broncos

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University softball team took an early 2-0 lead against Western Michigan University Saturday afternoon, April 7, at Varsity Field. However, the defending Mid-American Conference West Division Champions rallied with seven unanswered runs over the final four innings to capture the 7-3 league victory.

The Eagles (15-20, 4-3 MAC) had six different players collect a hit in the contest, including senior McKenna Russ (North Canton, Ohio-Hoover) blasting her third home run of the season in the seventh inning. Classmate Jessica Richards (Canton, Ohio- Jackson) also added an RBI single in the second inning.

Despite taking the loss, EMU starting pitcher Lindsay Rich (Perrysburg, Ohio-Perrysburg) performed well in the circle. The freshman went the 4.1, allowing four runs on four hits while walking one and fanning four. Her counterpart, Meredith Whitney, allowed three runs on six hits over seven innings to move to 10-7 on the year.

The Eagles jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first after a strange turn of events. With a runner and first and two outs, Amanda Herron (Columbus, Ohio-Saint Francis De Sales) connected on a softly hit ground ball to first. WMU's Tara Buchanan thought she recorded the out and tossed the ball aside as her team began to jog into the dugout, however Herron was called safe and during the confusion took off toward second. Meanwhile, Russ, who walked in the previous at bat, motored her way around to score after Herron got caught up in a rundown between first and second to give the Green and White an early lead.

EMU tallied another run in the second inning to push its lead to two. Sarah Gerber (North Canton, Ohio-Hoover) led off with a walk, and Amanda Stanton later singled to put runners at first and second with one out. Lindsay Smith (Seville, Ohio-Cloverleaf) loaded the bases with a walk, and Richards popped a single to shallow left that brought in the Eagles' second run.

Then in the top of the fourth inning the Broncos were able to score a pair to knot the score at 2-all. Courtney Rousseau came around to score on a fielder choice for the first WMU run, and then a few batters later would tack on another run on an infield groundout.

WMU dealt the Eagles the game-changing blow in the fifth inning, when Buchanan smacked a three-run home run to left field. The Brown and Gold would add an insurance run in the seventh inning to make it 7-2.

Russ would try to bring the Eagles back in the seventh with a solo home run to left in the bottom of the frame, but EMU would get no closer than the final tally of 7-3.

The Eagles and Broncos (16-12, 3-2 MAC) will finish up the two-game set Sunday, April 8. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at the Varsity Field. Live stats will be available and can be found by going to EMUEagles.com.

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Team Stats

Jessica Richards

McKenna Russ

Amanda Herron

Nellie Coquillard

Eastern Michigan Athletics