ANN ARBOR, Mich.- The Western Michigan softball team held the No. 4 team in the nation scoreless for the first three innings before eventually falling to Michigan, 8-2 Wednesday.

The Broncos played even with the fourth-ranked Wolverines for six of seven innings but a six-spot on the scoreboard for U-M in the bottom of the fourth made the difference. Western Michigan and Michigan each scored two runs apiece in the sixth.

Freshman Aspen Williams got WMU's offense going in the sixth with a pinch-hit leadoff walk and scored on an RBI double by sophomore left fielder Ivy Schaaf. Schaaf was brought home on a  two-out RBI single by junior second baseman Melissa Palmer.

Western Michigan starting pitcher sophomore Erin Binkowski did not allow a hit against the first 11 batters she faced, and despite errors in the field in the first and second innings, Western Michigan's defense stayed strong and kept the Wolverines off the board through three.

Michigan's big bats finally got to Binkowski in the bottom of the fourth. Kelly Christner hit a leadoff home run for her eighth long ball of the season and two batters later Tera Blanco cracked a one-out solo home run. Binkowski gave up two more singles before exiting the game with one out, two on and the Broncos trailing 2-0.

First out of the bullpen, Allyson Kus had trouble finding control in her relief appearance and WMU had to call on Anissa Sanchez to record the final two outs of the inning. Sanchez went on to finish the game.

Binkowski (3-6) was marked with the loss, allowing five hits, four runs, no walks and striking out one. The Western Michigan pitching staff held Michigan's top batter Sierra Romero without a hit (0-for-3). Romero entered the game leading the Big Ten with a .522 batting average.

The Broncos had four hits in the contest with Schaaf, Palmer, Gabby Schefka and Jenny Rohn each collecting one.

WMU faced Michigan's Haylie Wagner, who entered the contest with the fifth best earned run average in the Big Ten (1.88 ERA). Wagner improved to 12-2 with the victory, throwing a complete game and striking out 10.

Western Michigan's record slipped to 6-14 with the loss. Michigan improved to 29-4 on the season.

The Broncos return to Kalamazoo for their home opening weekend, playing a doubleheader against Akron on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m., and hosting Ohio Saturday and Sunday.