AKRON, Ohio– After defeating Akron earlier today, the eighth-seeded Western Michigan softball team ended their Mid-American Conference run falling to third-seeded Northern Illinois Friday evening 15-9 at Firestone Stadium. 

The Broncos conclude the 2017 season with a 25-29 overall record and won nine of their final 14 games. Western Michigan says goodbye to the senior class made up of Erin Binkowski, Kelsea Cichocki, Ivy Schaaf and Abby Stoner.

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Northern Illinois took the 1-0 lead in the top of the second scoring one run off three hits. With runners on second and third with one out, starting pitcher Anissa Sanchez delivered a strong performance recording the final two outs with a strikeout and an infield ground ball to end the inning.

WMU got the offense running in the fourth. It started with a pair of singles from Cichocki and junior Aspen Williams as the two advanced to second and third off a wild pitch.  Sophomore catcher Courtney Sleeman reached first off the NIU shortstop error picking up an RBI driving in Cichocki. Schaaf followed it up with a three-run shot over the left wall to give the Broncos a 4-1 lead. The home run was her third of the season.

The Huskies mounted a comeback in the top of the third with no outs and runners on first and second. Sanchez forced a ground ball straight to the third baseman Cichocki who tagged the runner on third and made a great throw to first to record the double play. The final out came off a deep pop fly to right fielder Mackenzie Swinehart as the Broncos stopped the threat.

NIU gained a run back in the top of the fourth but the Broncos responded by adding four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Senior pinch hitter Binkowski forced a walk while Schaaf and Cichocki ripped a pair of RBI singles and Swinehart shot a two RBI double to give WMU an 8-2 advantage.

Northern Illinois added another run in the fifth before the Huskies would even the score with five runs in the sixth. The NIU offensive exploded in the seventh as the Broncos gave up five hits taking a 15-8 lead.

The Broncos mounted a comeback in the bottom half of the frame with a run but the game-ending out occurred on shallow pop fly to left field.

Starter Sanchez threw 5.2 innings as her final line read six runs, ten hits and one strikeout. The Bronco bullpen consisted of Holly VanTilburg and Jordan Kurth giving up a total of nine runs off five hits.

Senior Schaaf led the Broncos during the night with four RBIs going 4-for-5 with two runs. Sophomore Brooke Wyman was solid in the batter's box as she went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs. Senior Cichocki also had two hits going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.