KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The Western Michigan softball team fell, 4-1, in game three of this weekend's Mid-American Conference series against Northern Illinois. WMU and NIU split yesterday's doubleheader. The Huskies took a 6-5 victory in game one and the Broncos battled back for a 7-2 victory in game two.

Saturday was the Broncos' annual StriKeout Cancer game, as Western Michigan partnered with Bronson Children's Hospital to collect donations and raise cancer awareness.

Northern Illinois' Sam Schmidt hit a three-run home run off of WMU starting pitcher Jordan Kurth in the second inning and Kali Kossakowski went deep for a solo home run off of Bronco reliever Anissa Sanchez in the fourth.

Western Michigan tallied its lone run in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Abby Stoner hit a one-out single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single to left field by redshirt junior Marlee Wilson.

Kurth (8-15) took the loss in the pitcher's circle, throwing three innings. Sanchez worked an inning and a third and Holly VanTilburg came in to throw the final inning and two-thirds without allowing a hit.

NIU had two hits in the game while the Broncos collected seven. WMU senior left fielder Ivy Schaaf went 3-for-4 at the plate. Sophomore shortstop Brooke Wyman batted 2-for-3 with a double, her sixth of the season.

Western Michigan's record moved to 16-23 overall, 4-11 in the MAC with the result while the Huskies improved to 21-16 overall and 9-6 in league play.

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.