Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DEKALB, Ill.- The Western Michigan softball team moved into first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division standings after winning two of three games this weekend at Northern Illinois. The Broncos' record is now 9-4 in the MAC and 18-19 overall.

Western Michigan won Friday's game one in dramatic fashion, overcoming a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3, scoring two runs in each of the final two innings. The Broncos and Huskies split a doubleheader Saturday. WMU again won in comeback fashion in game one, posting a 7-4 victory after trailing 4-2. NIU (28-13, 9-5 MAC) avoided a sweep with a 6-4 win in the final game of the series.

DH GAME ONE
After picking up the victory Friday, senior Allyson Kus returned to the pitcher's circle to post another win in game one Saturday. Kus is 7-0 in her last seven starts and has a 13-9, 7-1 MAC record on the year. She hurled her 15th complete game, striking out six and allowing just one earned run. Her ERA is 1.40 in league play.

With her team trailing 4-2, junior Abby Stoner delivered a grand slam in the top of the fourth to pull the Broncos ahead. It was Stoner's fifth-straight game with a home run and her eighth time going deep this season.

Senior Melissa Palmer hit an RBI triple in the seventh to give WMU its seventh run, scoring Ivy Schaaf who reached on a single. Sabrina Gamboa and Kelsea Cichocki both crossed the plate after singling in the first. Courtney Sleeman tallied an RBI with a bases-loaded walk.

DH GAME TWO
The Broncos score two runs without a hit in the second inning to open a 2-0 lead. Freshmen Brooke Wyman and Courtney Sleeman drew walks and pulled off a double steal before both scoring on an error by the NIU catcher.

Northern Illinois fought back with three runs off a solo home run and a two-run double in the bottom of the second. The Huskies tacked two more runs on in the fourth off a single, two walks and an error. NIU added another run in the fifth off a double and RBI single to extend its lead to 6-2.

The Broncos generated two runs off of three singles and a pair of walks in the top of the sixth. Schaaf drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Gamboa picked up an RBI on a bases-loaded walk. The Broncos left the bags full in the inning, as freshman Alex Frenz was called from NIU's bullpen with two outs and got Cichocki to fly out to center field to end the inning.

WMU freshman pitcher Jordan Kurth (4-6) started the game and went 3.1 innings in the loss. She allowed eight hits, five runs, four walks and struck out five. Sophomore Anissa Sanchez threw 2.2 innings of relief and allowed one run.

THE STATS
Palmer batted 5-for-8 Saturday with a triple and an RBI. She was 7-for-11 during the series. Cichocki went 3-for-7 and Schaaf was 3-for-8 Saturday. Kus had a 2-0 record with a 1.00 ERA and nine strikeouts for the series. Stoner had two home runs and six RBIs over the three games.

WHAT'S NEXT
Western Michigan travels to Notre Dame for a 6 p.m. contest Tuesday and returns to Kalamazoo to host Toledo in a three-game MAC series April 22-23. Friday's game one at Fran Ebert Field is at 3 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday will be WMU's annual StrikeOut Cancer Day, as the Broncos partner with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) in the fight against cancer.