Skip To Main Content

Western Michigan University Athletics

Connor Smith
1
Grace College GRACE 2-7
9
Winner Western Michigan WMU 1-3
Grace College GRACE
2-7
1
Final
9
Western Michigan WMU
1-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Grace College GRACE 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 8 0
Western Michigan WMU 2 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 X 9 16 1

W: Piechota, Jacob (1-1) L: Converset (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Wins Home Opener 9-1

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Shortstop Connor Smith went 4-for-5 with two triples and the pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts in Western Michigan baseball's 9-1 win over Grace College on Wednesday.

WMU started hot over the first two innings with Nick Vogelmeier heading a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. It was his second home run of the season and third as a team. He was the first of five straight Broncos to reach base in the first. Nate Grys later drove in Smith on a fielders choice to make it 2-0.

The second inning was much of the same with the first five batters reaching base. After three straight singles to lead the inning, Vogelmeier then scorched a double to left field scoring Tyler Frank.

The fourth inning saw the first of Smith's two triples as he hit one into the right field corner which scored Beau Filkins from first. Smith later came around to score on a sacrifice fly to left.

Smith's second triple came in the sixth when he hit one to straight away center. He came around to score again on Grant Miller's single to left, giving Miller two RBI in the game.

The Broncos totaled four extra base hits as a team, with Smith's two triples, and Vogelmeier adding a double and a home run, helping the team to explode for five runs over the first two innings.

WMU threw seven pitchers on Wednesday, with each having at least one strikeout. Starter Jacob Piechota, picked up the win after it was predetermined before the game to be limited to two innings. He struck out four hitters and gave up just one hit without walking a batter in his two innings of work. The staff did not allow an earned run the whole day, with the one run scored by Grace College coming on a ball that skipped away from Filkens, allowing the runner from third to cross the plate.

The Broncos will be back in action to begin a three-game weekend series on Friday at 3 p.m., at East Tennessee State. The Bucs are coming off a season in which they were one of the top teams in the country in offense, ranking in the top 10 in home runs and 15th in runs scored.
 
Print Friendly Version