DeKalb, Illi. – Western Michigan softball split Wednesday's doubleheader with Northern Illinois, winning 5-4 in game one and dropping game two, 8-4. The Broncos earned a 7-6 victory on Tuesday against the Huskies to take two of the three games early this week. WMU's record moves to 22-23 overall and 10-10 in the Mid-American Conference.
 
FINAL SCORE (G1): Western Michigan 5, Northern Illinois 4
LOCATION: Mary M. Bell Field (DeKalb, Illi.)  
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-22, 10-9 MAC) | Northern Illinois (21-23, 10-11 MAC)
W: Rissa Bajusz (12-10) | L: Danielle Stewart (9-10)
 
FINAL SCORE (G2): Northern Illinois 8, Western Michigan 4
LOCATION: Mary M. Bell Field (DeKalb, Illi.)  
RECORDS: Northern Illinois (22-23, 11-11 MAC) | Western Michigan (16-23, 10-10 MAC) 
W: Autumn Godwin (4-8) | L: Emily Dato (5-2)
 
Riley Chumbley went 1-1 at the plate with a go-ahead double that batted in three runs in the second game. Haley Boxwell led the offense going 3-for-4 at the plate. Boxwell tallied a double to bat in one run for a .750 average. Cassidy Brendtke and Payton Kelly each went 3-for-7, Brendtke doubled to score two runs while Kelly scored a run herself. Four Broncos registered two hits each and two Broncos one hit each to combine for a total of 20 hits on the day. 
 
WMU outhit the Huskies by two, 20-18, including an advantage in doubles, 5-3. Western Michigan batted a .333 average, .417 slugging percentage, and .400 on-base percentage.
 
Western Michigan 5, Northern Illinois 4
Northern Illinois got on the board first in game one with a 2-0 run inning in the second. Western Michigan charged the bases in the top of the third with a pair of singles from Haley Boxwell and Payton Kelly and an Addison Hudson walk. WMU put one across the plate when pinch runner Taylor Wolfe scored on a Courtney Farrish sac fly. 
 
The two teams posted another scoreless inning in the fourth. The Broncos broke free to score three runs. With two runners on first and second, Alyssa Kramer punched a single and advanced on the throw to score Hudson and advance Kelly to third. Kelly scored the tying run on another Farrish sac fly. 
 
The Broncos stole the lead in the top of the fifth, 4-3, on a Cassidy Brendtke RBI single to advance Haleigh Smith to third and score Kramer. WMU would not hold the lead for long as NIU pushed across one run to close the fifth. 
 
The Huskies and Western Michigan battle through another scoreless inning until the Broncos tacked a couple of doubles to left center by Farrish and Brendtke to score pinch runner Natalie Shuey. WMU stranded its runner at third to edge a 5-4 victory. 
 
Junior Rissa Bajusz tossed a complete seven innings to allow seven hits and four runs and seal six strikeouts. 
 
Northern Illinois 8, Western Michigan 4
The Broncos took a 1-0 run in the first after a trio of singles from Kramer, Farrish, and Boxwell and Brendtke's reach on a fielder's choice propelled WMU forward. 
 
Western Michigan put up two scoreless innings with the Huskies and threatened with two on base in the third. WMU challenged Northern Illinois again in the top of the fourth as four runners reach base but were halted with an out at third. NIU pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead. 
 
The Broncos reclaimed the lead in the fifth, 4-3, on a three-run double by Riley Chumbley. Western Michigan continued the battle through the end but was knocked down by the Huskies' five runs in the sixth. 
 
Senior Autumn Godwin went the distance in game two for WMU. She worked 4.2 innings and allowed seven hits and four runs. Bajusz entered as relief for 1.1 innings and allowed four hits and runs each. 
 
WMU returns to Ebert Field for its last series of home games against the Ohio Bobcats on April 29-30. 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.