KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The Western Michigan softball team defeated Buffalo 4-1 Sunday at Fran Ebert Field to complete a three-game series sweep over the Bulls. The Broncos took both games of Friday's doubleheader, 5-4 and 5-3.

Western Michigan improved to 13-16 on the season and 4-2 in the Mid-American Conference. This was the home-opening weekend for the Broncos.

WMU travels to rival Central Michigan Tuesday, April 5 for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Broncos then are home for six straight games April 6-13.

HIGHLIGHTS:
•  Junior Erin Binkowski hit a two-run home run down the left line in the bottom of the fourth to give Western Michigan a 2-1 lead. It was Binkowski's team-leading ninth home run of the season. Binkowski is now one home run shy of tying the WMU single-season record (10), set by Lexi Jager in 2009. It was her 17th career home run, moving her ahead of current WMU assistant coach Tara Buchanan into third into fourth for career home runs.

• Junior Kelsea Cichocki hit a two-out, two-run double to left center in the bottom of the fifth to push WMU's lead to 4-1. It was her team-leading seventh double of the season. Cichocki batted 2-for-2 in the game, also singling in the first.

• Western Michigan totaled seven hits. Freshman Brooke Wyman doubled off the fence in left center in the fifth. Senior Caity Pixley had a pinch it double to right center in the sixth.

• Senior Allyson Kus pitched her 10th complete game of the season and recorded the victory, moving her record to 8-9 on the year. Buffalo's lone run was in the top of the second and was unearned. She allowed five hits and struck out four.

• Kus went 2-0 with a save this weekend. She was the winning pitcher in game one and threw an inning of relief to pick up the save in game two. Kus had 11 strikeouts over the weekend and an ERA of 1.87 over the three games. Her season ERA stands at 2.88.

• Buffalo had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and the Broncos turned a 5-2-3 double play to end the game.

• With a single in the first inning, senior shortstop Sabrina Gamboa extended her hitting streak to six games. Gamboa got on base in all three of her plate appearances. She was also hit by a pitch in the fourth and drew a walk in the fifth.