TEMPE, Ariz. - Western Michigan softball fell to Cal State-Northridge, 6-1, in its final game of the 2013 Kajikawa Classic.  Freshman Melissa Palmer led the Broncos offensively with a .450 batting average.

The Broncos scored their lone run in the top of the seventh, already trailing. 6-0.  After Emma Bogart grounded out to second base, Christina Pigozzi singled up the middle.  Jenny Rohn reached on a fielding error and Palmer followed with an infield hit back to the pitcher, loading the bases.  Lesy Schalk earned the one-out walk, registering an RBI.  The bases remained loaded but Sabrina Gamboa struck out looking to end the threat and the game.

Palmer went 3-for-4 against CSUN on Sunday.  It was her second three-hit game of the tournament and gave her at least one hit in all but one game throughout the weekend.  Another freshman paced the Broncos in extra base hits in Arizona.  Gamboa had a pair of doubles, with one against Northridge, and a home run in her first tournament at the collegiate level.

Cal State-Northridge scored a run in both the third and fifth innings but broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth thanks in part to a three-run home run to give CSUN a six-run lead over WMU heading into the top of the seventh.

Western Michigan has a week off before heading to Bowling Green, Ky., for the Holiday Inn Hilltopper Classic hosted by Western Kentucky (Feb. 22-24).  The Broncos open play at the tournament against Dayton on Feb. 22 at 10:30 a.m. CT.

CORRECTION: Becca Shemberger should have been credited with the win over Cal Poly instead of Allyson Kus due to the fact that Shemberger entered the circle with the game tied in the eighth.  This correction is shown in the season statistics.