KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan softball team dropped three games to the Central Michigan Chippewa's in a midweek series.

The Broncos mounted late comebacks on both Tuesday and in the first game Wednesday against their in-state rivals. But both comebacks fell at least a run short in the 6-3 and 4-3 losses despite scoring runs in the seventh innings. WMU then was run-ruled in the third game of the series 14-0 in a five inning game. Junior outfielder Emily Lampela led the Brown and Gold at the plate with a .500 average, connecting on two hits, walking once, and being hit by a pitch once. Infielders Jordan Smith and Bella Duncan also added three hits for Western Michigan through three games.

In the first game of the series, both offenses struggled to get anything going in the first two innings. Central Michigan broke the 0-0 deadlock in the top of the third with a fielding error to take a one run lead. The game remained at 1-0 for the next three innings until the Chippewa's offense exploded in the top of the seventh. In the final inning of the game on Tuesday, CMU scored five runs on four hits, a walk, and a couple of fielder's choices. The Broncos weren't going to be shutout though as Duncan launched her team-leading seventh home run in the bottom of the seventh after two WMU singles. The Brown and Gold struck out for its last two outs, dropping the first game to Central Michigan 6-3.

On Wednesday the Chippewa's scored early in the first game of the doubleheader. CMU had single runs score in the top of the first, second, fifth, and sixth for a 4-0 lead. But again Western Michigan broke through late in the game on offense, scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth on three singles in four at-bats. The Bronco defense kept Central Michigan scoreless in the top of the seventh, only allowing a single hit. While in the offensive half of the inning WMU mounted a two-out rally, began by Smith with a double to left center. In the next at-bat, designated player Analeez Niles hit her fifth homer of the year to score two more runs. But the Brown and Gold's next batter struck out for the 4-3 final. 

CMU kept the offense going in the final game of the series, scoring five runs in the first inning alone. Western Michigan recorded a season-low two hits in the second half of Wednesday's doubleheader as Smith and Lampela were the only Broncos to connect in the box. The Chippewa's continued to pile on the runs, scoring in every inning to take the 14-0 final in only five innings.

WMU will return to conference play this weekend away from Ebert Field. The Brown and Gold will play a three game series in Muncie against the Ball State Cardinals on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12. The weekend series at Ball State Softball Stadium is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.