COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Western Michigan softball team opened the 2011 Wilson Classic hosted by Missouri on Friday.  The Broncos dropped a 12-4 decision to North Dakota State in six innings and then were stopped by the host Tigers, ranked 16th in the country, 10-0 in five innings.

In the first game of the day for WMU Lexi Jager drove in a pair of runs on her third double of the year after Christina Pigozzi and Courtney Rousseau earned walks to lead off the third inning.  Jager scored her seventh run of the year when Tara Buchanan reached on an error by the NDSU shortstop.

The Broncos four and final run came in the top of the sixth when freshman Myranda McDonald ripped her first collegiate home run down the the left field line. 

The four runs for Western Michigan were not enough as North Dakota State scored six in the first inning, scored once more in the fifth and sixth and then, leading 8-4, tallied four more runs to end the game in six innings.

WMU managed just one hit, off the bat of Rousseau in the fifth, falling to Missouri for the second time in this young 2011 season.  The Tigers opened the game with five runs in the first and four more in the fourth.  Mizzou benefitted off two home runs during the game, while its defense allowed the one hit and just four walks.

Western Michigan continues in the Wilson Classic with #16 Missouri again tomorrow at 4 p.m. followed by Minnesota at 6:30 p.m.  (all times listed are Central Time)