NOTRE DAME, Ind.- Notre Dame used a two-out, bases loaded single in the bottom of the seventh to slip by the Western Michigan softball team, 6-5, in non-conference action Wednesday evening.

WMU senior outfielder Ivy Schaaf hit a double to lead off the game and scored on an RBI single by senior third baseman Kelsea Cichocki to give the Broncos a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first. Notre Dame responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, using a walk and a pair of singles to jump ahead, 2-1.

Schaaf scored again after hitting a leadoff single in the top of the third to pull WMU even at 2-2. Redshirt junior first baseman Marlee Wilson recorded the RBI with a one-out, sacrifice fly to right field.

Melissa Rochford gave the Fighting Irish the lead back in the bottom of the third, hitting a three-run home run to left center. All three runs went down as unearned after WMU committed a one-out error in the inning.

The Broncos fought back from the 5-2 deficit with a run in the fifth and then a game-tying, two-run double by junior left fielder Aspen Williams in the top of the seventh. Schaaf, Mackenzie Swinehart and Abby Stoner (RBI) each singled in the fifth. Williams drove in Swinehart and Cichocki, who each singled in the seventh, with her seventh double of the season.

After replacing starting pitcher Anissa Sanchez in the top of the fifth, junior reliever Holly VanTilburg cruised through the Notre Dame lineup, retiring seven straight batters, retiring the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings and recording an out against the leadoff batter in the seventh. ND's Maddie McCracken then managed a two-base hit with one away and with two outs, Karley Wester singled. With runners at second and third, WMU opted to intentionally walk the next batter. Caitlyn Brooks stepped up to deliver the game-winning hit for the Irish with a single to right center.

VanTilburg (3-3) took the loss for the Broncos, allowing the one run over 2.2 innings pitched. Sanchez went four frames, surrendering five runs (two earned), and one walk while striking out one.

Schaaf and Cichocki each finished the night 3-for-4 at the plate for the Broncos, who as a team out-hit the Irish, 12-5.

Wednesday's game at Notre Dame was the first in an eight-game road stretch for the Broncos. Western Michigan plays Eastern Michigan in a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend, then heads to Toledo for a three-game MAC series April 28 & 29. WMU faces Michigan in Ann Arbor on May 2 before returning to Kalamazoo for the final home games of the season with a three-game series against Ball State, May 5 & 6.