MIAMI SB NOTEBOOK . . .

Miami takes 6-0 MAC record to Western Michigan

Miami (16-15. 6-0 MAC) softball will try to extend its four-game win streak this weekend when it faces Western Michigan in Kalamazoo. The three-game series starts Friday (noon). A second game immediately follows, while the two-teams wrap up their series Saturday (time TBA). 

The Broncos are 8-20 overall and 2-1 in Mid-American Conference play. Those three league games were against Toledo back on March 14-15. Western Michigan took the first two, 3-2 and 8-6. UT won the finale 3-2. 

Since that time, WMU played . . . 

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Shelby Kunkel's shoe-string catch shut down a recent Northern Illinois rally. (MVSmith/MRO)

. . . just two games - both non-confence. The first was a 3-2 loss at Notre Dame (3-19). More recently, the Broncos fell at Michigan 12-4 Tuesday. 

Here's more on the two teams:
• The Broncos rank 10th of 11 MAC teams in batting (.246). Miami is first (.311).
• WMU is third in home runs (25). Miami is first (46). 
• Western Michigan is seventh in slugging percentage (.415). MU is first (.537).
• WMU is sixth in fielding percentage (.957). The RedHawks are seventh (.955).
• Bronco pitching ranks 10th with an ERA of 6.73. Miami pitching has a 5.03 ERA (6th). 
• Miami pitching ranks 10th in walks allowed (146). WMU is seventh (100). 
• Sophomore Casey Fazzini (3-5) has logged the most innings pitched for WMU (53.2). She has a 4.30 ERA.  She has nine strikeouts and 28 BBs on the campaign. Opponents are batting .332 against her and have hit six homers. 
- Grad student Jensen Gremillion (3-7) has logged 43 innings (with two complete games) . She has a 7.81 ERA. Opponents are batting .339 and have slugged 11 home runs. 
-- Freshman Kaylee Salyer (0-4) has appeared in 13 games, totaling 32.2 innings. She has a 6.64 ERA. Opponents have a .345 batting average and have recorded four homers. Salyer has a team-high 13 strikouts with 19 walks. 
• Senior Riley Dittmar leads the Broncos in batting average (.376) and hits (32). 
• Micaela Booth (7) and Jordan Smith (6) top the Broncos in homers

MORE  ON THE REDHAWKS: 
• Chloe Parks and Shelby Kunkel lead the league in hits (40 apiece) and doubles (9). 
• Jenna Golembiewski tops the league with 13 homers and is second in RBI's (33). However, she also  is one of three RedHawks in the top 10 in strikouts (Golembiewski (1st - 32), Kunkel (3rd - 23) Campbell McKenna (6th - 22). Kunkel is also second in walks (22) and third in on-base percentage (.567). 
• Miami (6-0) is one of only two schools who are undefeated in conference play (Ohio is 3-0). As it heads deeper into conference play, MU will look to improve in several areas. One is walks issued. Sophomore Madilyn Reeves (63) junior Le'a Chevrier (51) lead the MAC in walks. Those passes, especially early in innings, have contributed to some tough jams from which to work. 
-- The RedHawks will also look to improve on defense. They rank seventh in fielding percentage (.955) but also have the second most errors (40). Only Bowling Green (44) has more. 
• Reeves leads the MAC in innings pitched (117.1) and strikouts (99). She (23) and Chevrier (19) top the MAC in strikeouts looking. 

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