BOX SCORE
ATHENS, Ohio- Ohio broke a 4-4 tie with a run in the bottom of the 10th, as the Western Michigan (12-7-1, 0-3 MAC) baseball team fell in extra innings in Athens, Ohio, 5-4. Sophomore outfielder Chris Lewis hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season to lead the Broncos.
Neither team could get much going early, as Western Michigan's Brian Stroud and Ohio's Jason Moulton held batters in check, each allowing just three hits apiece through the first four innings.
The Bobcats (12-10, 5-1 MAC) finally got to the freshman Stroud in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs on a walk and three hits, two which were for extra bases.
Lewis opened the scoring for Western Michigan in the top of the sixth, hitting a solo home run over the right-center wall to bring the score to 3-1. A pair of walks and an RBI-single by Derek Mosher brought the end to Moulton's day. The Broncos brought one more run across the plate to tie the game, 3-3, as Max Kelmigian scored on a passed ball.
After allowing a single to start the bottom half of the sixth, Stroud was replaced by Ross Westdorp on the mound. A second single off of Westdorp with two outs gave Ohio the advantage once again, 4-3. The Broncos had an opportunity to throw the runner out at home, but a collision at the plate knocked the ball loose as the Bobcats were able to go up by one.
The Broncos battled back to once again tie the score in the top of the seventh, also scoring with two outs. Lewis drew a walk, Matthew Abro singled to left field and Kelmigian drove in the tying run with an single to right field.
Westdorp held Ohio's offense at bay through the next three innings, as he retired nine of the next 10 batters. The Western Michigan offense unfortunately sputtered too with Matt Smith on the mound for the Bobcats and the game was forced into extra innings.
Ohio notched the winning run in the bottom of the 10th, scoring on an walk-off single by Chris Kimko. WMU gave up a walk and a single and then intentionally loaded the bases, before Kimko delivered the game-winning hit, completing the series sweep for the ?Cats.
Despite the solid performance, Westdorp (2-1) took the loss. He allowed just four hits in four innings. Smith threw 3.1 innings in relief, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out two, to improve to 3-1 on the season.
The Brown & Gold was out-hit by the Bobcats, 11-7. Kelmigian was the only Bronco to have a multi-hit game, finishing the day 2-for-3 at the plate, with a pair of walks and an RBI.
Western Michigan will look to return to its winning ways traveling to South Bend, Ind., on Tuesday, facing Notre Dame at 5:05 p.m. The Broncos return to Kalamazoo on Wednesday, playing host to Wayne State, in what will be the Broncos' first home game of the season. First pitch for that game is set for 3 p.m.
