KALAMAZOO, Mich. –  The Western Michigan softball team begins its week with a three-game series at Northern Illinois on April 25-26. The Tuesday opening tilt is scheduled for a 4 pm start. The two teams will finish up the series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 2 pm. 
 
GAME INFORMATION:
Tuesday, Apr. 25
4 pm – Watch Live | Live Stats 

Saturday, Apr. 26
2 pm – Watch Live | Live Stats
4 pm – Watch Live | Live Stats
 
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (21-21 Overall, 10-9 MAC)
Northern Illinois last time out dropped a MAC series against the Toledo Rockets. NIU claimed game one on Saturday, 4-1 before falling in the second 12-6. The Huskies were unable to produce the win on Sunday and succumbed to the Rockets, 6-5. 
 
The Huskies have a 21-21 overall record with a 5-10 MAC league record. Northern Illinois as a team is hitting .268 and has an ERA of 4.27. Kelly Walinski has the highest batting average on the team with a .362 average. Walinski has totaled 28 RBIs, 8 doubles, two triples, and two home runs this season. Caitlyn Shumaker is a difference maker in the Huskie offense, with a .298 batting average she has registered 37 hits including two doubles, three triples, and three home runs to score and bat in 21 runs each. Shumaker currently leads the MAC and ranks 15th nationally for stolen bases with 28 this season. 
 
All six pitchers have put in work for the Huskies this season, Daniel Stewart leads the Huskies with nine wins in the circle. Stewart hold a 3.26 ERA through 109.2 innings pitched with 71 strikeouts and a shutout. Lilly Cassell has joined Stewart going the distance in the circle, putting in 58.1 innings of work. Cassell has a 4.80 ERA and has tossed 32 strikeouts. 
 
WESTERN MICHIGAN (14-22, 8-9 MAC)
The Western Michigan softball team is coming off a dropped series against the Kent State Golden Flashes. WMU picked up a 13-5 win in the three-game series on Sunday after falling 2-1 in game one and 11-4 in game two. 
 
Payton Kelly led the Bronco offense last week versus Kent State in batting average (.667) and hits (8). Kelly tied the team-best in runs (4), home runs (10), and RBI (3). She registered at least two hits in each of the three games started against KSU while scoring at least once in each contest for a 1.000 slugging percentage and .667 on-base percentage. With her four runs scored and three RBI, Kelly accounted for seven of WMU's 18 runs in the series.  In Saturday's opener, Kelly went 3-for-4 and dinged a double to center field to claim her one run and push the Broncos to an early 1-0 lead in the third. In the evening cap, she batted 2-for-4 and scored one run. On Sunday, the sophomore went 3-for-4, claiming her third home run of the season with a leadoff bomb over the left field wall. She scored two for the Broncos and batted in three to finish the series.
 
Junior Rissa Bajusz threw a total of 12 innings for a 2.25 ERA last week. She allowed 14 hits and seven runs including three earned runs to keep her opponents at a .280 batting average. Her two starts were highlighted by a five-inning complete-game 13-5 win over the Golden Flashes on Sunday. In game one on Saturday, the right-hander tossed a complete seven innings and picked up 10 strikeouts. She allowed one unearned run to hold KSU to just two runs in the 2-1 loss. On Sunday, Bajusz tossed a complete five-inning game against Kent State, striking out two batters, allowing seven hits and five runs. She added a pair of strikeouts in the series finale to register 12 strikeouts last week.
 
As a unit, Western Michigan bats a .263 average in 36 games this season. The Broncos tally 124 runs on 237 hits including 41 doubles, two triples, and 14 homers. WMU holds a .315 on-base percentage, and .360 slugging percentage and has batted in 324 runs this season. 
 
The Bronco pitching staff owns a 4.05 ERA for a 14-22 record. In 224.2 innings, WMU has allowed 240 hits and tossed 181 strikeouts, holding opposing hitters to a .268 batting average. 
 
ON DECK
Western Michigan returns to Ebert Field to host the Ohio Bobcats on April 29-30. The Broncos open play with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 29 starting at 1 pm. The weekend play will be full of celebrations; Saturday's doubleheader will feature a Senior Day celebration for Maddie Duell, Courtney Farrish, Autumn Godwin, Alyssa Kramer, Natalie Shuey, and Mikayla Barnard. On Sunday, the Broncos will celebrate WMU Alumni.