Box Score KALAMAZOO, Mich.– The Western Michigan softball team will host visiting Northern Illinois in a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend. Play begins Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Game three will follow on Saturday at 1 p.m. Saturday will be WMU's annual StriKeout Cancer game, as the Broncos partner with Bronson Children's Hospital to collect donations and raise cancer awareness.

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The Broncos enter the weekend at 15-21 overall and 3-9 in the MAC while Northern Illinois maintains a 19-15 overall, 7-5 MAC record. The Broncos are batting .276 this season, slightly higher than NIU at .275. Western Michigan has a 2.89 team ERA while the Huskies' staff has an ERA of 3.00. WMU and NIU faced one another four times last year with each team coming away with two wins. WMU took the first of two games in a three-game series in DeKalb (4-3, 7-4). NIU won the final game of the series (6-4) and defeated the Broncos 3-1 in the MAC Tournament. 

WMU senior third baseman Kelsea Cichocki leads the MAC batting .434 this season and has the most hits with 48. Cichocki is second in the conference for RBIs (35), slugging percentage (.717) and total bases (79) and fourth for doubles (12) and on-base percentage (.469). Two other players are also batting over .300 for the Broncos. Freshman Mackenzie Swinehart is hitting .368 with a .406 on-base percentage while redshirt junior Marlee Wilson is batting .343 with a .514 slugging percentage. WMU has 21 home runs as team, led by Cichocki with six.

Sophomore pitcher Jordan Kurth has eight wins this season, making 23 appearances and 15 starts. Kurth has a 2.38 ERA over 109 innings pitched and has totaled 66 strikeouts. Junior Anissa Sanchez has four wins and a 2.64 ERA over 74.1 innings. Junior Holly VanTilburg has also seen increased action in the pitcher's circle as of late and has a 3-2 record with a 3.97 ERA.

Following this weekend the Broncos are on the road for their next eight games, playing MAC series at Eastern Michigan and Toledo and making mid-week non-conference stops at Notre Dame and Michigan. WMU returns home to host Ball State for the Broncos' final home games and MAC series, May 5-6.


STRIKEOUT CANCER INITIATIVE
WMU softball is partnering with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association by hosting a StriKeOut Cancer Game on Saturday, April 15. Wear your purple AND help StriKeOut Cancer! All proceeds will be donated to the Bronson Children's Hospital.

Donations will be collected on game day or may be made online at: bronsonfoundation.com/wmucancergame

The StriKeOut Cancer initiative is a program through the NFCA to help raise funds and awareness to fight cancer. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of fastpitch softball coaches nationwide to help promote healthy living through awareness efforts and fundraising activities.

Since starting the StriKeOut Cancer initiative more than 10 years ago, the NFCA has raised thousands of dollars to support the fight against cancer. These monetary donations allow cancer organizations to continue their lifesaving efforts to prevent cancer, save lives and diminish the suffering from the disease through  research, education, advocacy and service.