SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Western Michigan softball team wasn't able to slow down a red-hot Notre Dame Fighting Irish offense in an 11-3 loss on Tuesday night.

The Broncos added two more home runs to their season total in their midweek matchup. But it wasn't enough to overcome a four run deficit after a single inning to Notre Dame at Melissa Cook Stadium. WMU connected on five hits over five innings, all from separate players in the lineup. Junior shortstop Caitlin Tighe and senior designated player Jordan Smith recorded the three RBIs with a home run each. In the circle, the Brown and Gold used four pitchers with freshman Hannah Potts taking the loss in 0.1 innings pitched.

It was a fast start against the Irish for Western Michigan as lead-off hitter Bella Duncan reached base on an error and stole her first base of the season. Tighe then followed up Duncan's at-bat with the first hit of the game, a home run out to center field, giving the Broncos a 2-0 advantage. Three more WMU players reached base in the top of the first, Analeez Niles on a walk, Rylee O'Brien with her fifth double, and a single from Haileigh Smith. 

But the Brown and Gold weren't able to bring another run across in the top of the first, leaving runners stranded at the corners. Notre Dame answered the bell immediately in the bottom of the first, scoring six runs on four hits while batting through its lineup. Outfielder Parker Ostach led off the second with a single, but was Western Michigan's only hit of the inning, keeping it at a 6-2 score. The Irish continued to add runs in the bottom of the second for a 8-2 score.

The Broncos scored their final run of the game in the top of the third. After a groundout to begin the inning, Smith connected on her second home run in as many games, making it a three-run game. WMU had one more batter reach base in the third before back-to-back strikeouts ended the offensive half for the Brown and Gold. Notre Dame scored three more times in the bottom of the third for the final score of 11-3 as neither team had a hit past the third inning.

Western Michigan returns to conference play this weekend with the program's first visit to UMass. The Broncos have played the Minutewomen twice before, but never on their home field. This weekend's series is set to begin with a doubleheader on Friday, April 3 starting at 2 p.m.