KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The 2017 Western Michigan baseball season is just over three weeks away and a large crowd of WMU fans were treated to a special evening at the seventh annual Bronco Baseball Leadoff Dinner Wednesday night at Cityscape Events Center.
 
Emcee and voice of the Broncos Robin Hook got the evening underway highlighting a special 2016 season, followed by head coach Billy Gernon who gave a 2017 preview along with recognizing southpaw sensation Keegan Akin.
 
Akin was presented his senior jersey after signing with the Baltimore Orioles after his junior year this past summer as the 54th overall pick.  Akin was also honored with a plaque highlighting his stellar college career and epic 2016 season.
 
The stage was then turned over to keynote speaker and country music sensation Frankie Ballard.  Ballard, a former Bronco baseball player, addressed a nearly sold out crowd. Ballard, who recently released his third album "El Rio," reminisced about his playing days and how his music career got started.  Frankie, who now resides in Nashville, Tenn., talked about the importance of avoiding regret and getting better in some capacity every single day.  He also singled out how important his family was to him and how instrumental they have been in his career.
 
"We have been trying to get Frankie for a few years but his schedule is just crazy.  It means so much that he would take time out his busy performing schedule to be our keynote speaker," Gernon said. "He truly "hit it out of the park" speaking straight from the heart.  I am so glad his family was in attendance tonight to see a "homecoming" of sorts."
 
"It was simply an outstanding night and Frankie most certainly did his thing."
 
Coach Gernon started the Leadoff Dinner in his first season in 2011 and Dave Dombrowski was the inaugural keynote speaker.  Several former Bronco Baseball alumnus were in attendance as well.
 
A silent auction table was set up and it featured tickets for Red Sox at Tigers as well as Orioles at Tigers along with many other great sports memorabilia. 
 
The Broncos open up the 2017 season in the Atlanta Challenge against Kennesaw State, Georgia State and nationally ranked Georgia Tech starting on Friday, Feb. 17.  Western Michigan is coming off its first MAC Tournament Championship in school history and looks to build on that momentum.