MUNCIE, Ind. - WMU battled back from a 5-2 deficit to come within a run heading into the home half of the fifth, but a five-run sixth for Ball State solidified the Cardinals' 10-4 win over the Broncos on Sunday.

WMU allowed just one run over the first three innings, which allowed the Broncos to take a 2-1 lead after the top of the fourth.  Diana Patterson, who was 7-for-14 over the weekend, led off the inning with an infield single back to the pitcher.  She advanced to second on a Loren Nagy sacrifice bunt and scored on Megan Stamm's double down the left field line.  Stamm scored when Jenny Rohn registered the second infield hit of the inning.

Ball State reclaimed the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth but the Broncos weren't done.  In the top of the fifth Melissa Palmer bunted for a single to the pitcher and Christina Pigozzi reached on a fielding error at third base.  Patterson came up big for WMU as she doubled to left center to clear the bases.

Western Michigan trailed, 5-4, but would only manage one more base runner over the next two innings when Mackenzie Shepeck was hit by a pitch in the seventh.  In the meantime, the Cardinals plated five runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth, thanks also in part to two WMU errors.

The Broncos are scheduled to take on No. 12 Michigan on Tuesday and Michigan State on Wednesday before finally opening their home season this weekend when Eastern Michigan comes to town for a doubleheader on April 12 followed by Central Michigan for a two-game series over the weekend.