KALAMAZOO, Mich. - WMU blasted three home runs but it wasn't enough as Buffalo outlasted the Broncos 6-2 and 6-5 in eight innings on Friday afternoon at Fran Ebert Field.

Both Western Michigan's two runs came courtesy of the long ball in the series opener and they came within two batters of each other in the home half of the third inning.  Megan Stamm led off the frame with her team-leading eighth home run of the season and two batters later Marlee Wilson hit her first home run as a Bronco.

The two yard shots brought WMU within a run of Buffalo, trailing 3-2.  Despite collecting eight hits and seeing Melissa Palmer and Ivy Schaaf going 2-for-4 at the plate, WMU allowed two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth as the Bulls took control behind the pitching of Tori Speckman.

In game two it was Kelsea Cichocki who registered her first career home run but this home run came in the home half of the first inning with a pair of runners on base to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead.

Buffalo's Sammi Gallardo personally tied the game two innings later, hitting her second home run of the day with one out.  The shortstop would add one more home run to lead off the fifth to again tie the score after WMU took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third on a Jenny Rohn fielder's choice.  Pinch runner Christina Pigozzi scored on the play.

The Broncos answered after Gallardo's fifth-inning home run.  Cichocki hit a single up the middle, collecting a hit in all five of her plate appearances, and Sabrina Gamboa followed with her ninth double of the season to score the freshman from first.

WMU held a 5-4 lead going into the top of the seventh but Buffalo scratched out a two-out run when pinch runner Kenzie Koch stole home on a bunt attempt and slid under the Cichocki tag.  The Broncos loaded the bases with two outs in the last of the seventh but a ground out ended their chances of ending the game in regulation.

Western Michigan hosts Kent State, which split with Northern Illinois on Friday, on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) for Alumni Day and Senior Day, respectively.