Softball closes out the regular season against Toledo

TOLEDO, Ohio. Western Michigan softball dropped two against the Toledo Rockets 3-2. The result ended WMU’s regular season with a final record of 17-29 and 11-15 against Mid-American Conference opponents.

FINAL SCORE (G1):Toledo 3, Western Michigan 2
LOCATION:Scott Park (Toledo, Ohio)
INFORMATION:Toledo (20-25, 13-14 MAC)| Western Michigan (17-28,11-14 MAC)
Q:Sophia Knight (9-9)|L:Rissa Mustache (13-13)

FINAL SCORE (G2):Toledo 3, Western Michigan 2
LOCATION:Scott Park (Toledo, Ohio)
INFORMATION:Toledo (21-25, 14-14 MAC)| Western Michigan (17-29,11-15 MAC)
Q:Erin Hunt (12-14)|L:Madysyn Lopez (0-5)

G1: Toledo 3, Western Michigan 2

The Broncos were held to five hits in what was Saturday’s doubleheader. Riley Chumbley beat 1-1 when Jessica Young, Haleigh Smithand Courtney Farrish each went 1-3. Alyssa Kramer went 1-for-4 at WMU. Junior Rissa Mustache worked 7.1 innings and allowed eight hits and three runs. Bajusz threw six strikeouts for his 157th of the season.

Haleigh Smith took second on the Broncos’ first down, but WMU couldn’t bring a runner around.

Toledo jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first and was shut out in the second when Bajusz retired the Rockets in order.

In the top of the third, Kramer rocketed a two-run homer over center field to bring in the lead Addison Hudson around and take a 2-1 lead. The seniors blasted their sixth of the season and 19th of their career. Western Michigan pitched another 1-2-3 inning for the Rockets in the third and kept Toledo off the board in the fourth with two strikeouts.

The Broncos created scoring opportunities in the fifth and sixth, each time threatening with a runner on third. Western Michigan stranded its runners and headed into extra innings at Scott Park.

Brown & Gold couldn’t convert the second chance and fell 3-2.

G2: Toledo 3, Western Michigan 2

In a scoreless first inning, WMU went up 1-0 in the second on Maddison Duell’s center. A leaderoff walk followed by Smith’s hit on a fielder’s choice added to the scoring charge in the second.

The Broncos extended their lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Kramer walked, Payton Kelly hit a pitch, and Haley Boxwell singled through the left side to bring one home.

Western Michigan posted four straight scoreless innings against Toledo before the Rockets broke through with two runs on three hits in the fifth.

The two teams were deadlocked through the sixth inning before Toledo reached with a single to go up 3-2 in the game.

Autumn Godwin got the start in the circle and threw one hit in 4.1 innings. The senior finishes his four years in the circle at Western Michigan with 164.1 total innings pitched, including 75.2 innings this season. Freshman Madysyn Lopez came on in relief for 2.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits.