Mat Kanan, Western Michigan University
TEMPE, Ariz. – WMU improved to 3-3 with a 3-2 win over UC Riverside partially on the strength of Sabrina Gamboa’s two-run home run in the top of the fifth. The Broncos amassed three wins at the tournament for the third time in program history.
The Broncos had captured three wins at the Kajikawa Classic twice before but not since 2008 when they defeated Temple, Utah and Virginia. WMU first had three wins at the tournament in its first year participating, 2007, defeating Nevada, Cal State Fullerton and Syracuse.
Ivy Schaaf collected her first lead off hit of the tournament in eight at bats when she hit her first collegiate home run in the top of the third. The Broncos hit .389 (14-for-36) in lead off situations during the tournament. WMU improved to 3-0 this season when scoring first.
Western Michigan increased its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth off one swing of Gamboa’s bat. It was her first home run of the season, the team’s fifth, and the fifth of her young career. Melissa Palmer had reached base two batters earlier on a single down the left field line.
Palmer led the Broncos with a .500 average (9-for-18) this weekend. She also finished the tournament having reached base in four-straight games. The sophomore led the team with four multi-hit games, including on three-hit effort against Cal State-Northridge.
UC Riverside mounted a comeback in the home half of the sixth, scoring a pair of runs off a bases-loaded infield single back to Allyson Kus, who earned the save, in the circle. The second run of the inning could have been the tying tally had it not been for Gamboa throwing out a runner at home. Kus secured WMU’s win, forcing three-straight ground outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Jenny Rohn hit her fourth double of the season, giving WMU its only base runner in the top of the seventh.
Western Michigan will have a week off before heading to the Tennessee State Tournament Feb. 21-23.
