Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Western Michigan broke a 4-4 tie scoring eight runs in the sixth inning and hung on for a 15-8 win against Grand Valley State on Tuesday. Junior outfielder Neal Miller had the hot bat for the Broncos, blasting a grand slam, a pair of triples and a double, ringing up six RBIs.
Miller got the rally going in the sixth inning, leading off the frame with his first triple of the game and scoring on a passed ball. Doubles by Derek Mosher and Zach Gentile and singles by Grant Simotes and Joe Sheets led to three more runs, opening an 8-4 Brown & Gold advantage. With Sheets still on base, Chris Lewis was hit by a pitch and Max Kelmigian drew a walk, as WMU batted through the order. With the bases loaded, Miller stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning and belted a grand slam over the wall in right field.
GVSU put a run on the board in the top of the eighth, but WMU added three runs to its total in the bottom half of the inning to go ahead, 15-5. With two runners on base, Miller again found the right corner of the outfield, hitting his second triple of the day. A batter later, Mosher cranked his second double to bring Miller across the dish.
With the game all but in the books, Grand Valley made one last effort to close the gap in the top of the ninth. WMU freshman right-hander Eric Heckaman came out of the bullpen, loaded the bases on balls and gave up a three-run double before he was replaced on the bump by Drew Mahan. Mahan shut the door with three straight outs.
Western Michigan started off the day scoring a run in each of the first three innings, taking a 3-1 lead. The run in the third was generated by Lewis, as he sent a solo home run off the batter's eye in straightaway center field.
The Broncos briefly trailed, 4-3, when the Lakers inched ahead with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth. A Lewis RBI single in the bottom of the fifth knotted the game at four all, before WMU blew the game open in the sixth.
Western Michigan out-hit the Lakers 17-12. Miller finished the day batting 4-for-5 with six RBIs and four runs scored. Lewis was 3-for-3 at the plate, with two RBIs and three runs scored. Gentile and Matthew Abro each had a pair of knocks, extending their hitting streaks to a team-season best 11 games.
Tossing six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, starting pitcher Ross Westdorp evened his record to 3-3 on the year. Sheets also saw action on the mound, working the seventh and eighth.
Bob Walmsley and Brad Raj each went 2-for-2 for GVSU. Walmsley hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Justin Beal also went deep for the Lakers, driving out a solo shot in the eighth.
Western Michigan was solid defensively, turning three double plays and playing errorless ball.
The Broncos are back in action at Hyames Field tomorrow, hosting IPFW at 2 p.m. Taking the mound for WMU will be senior right-hander Gus Jacobson (2-1, 3.48 ERA).
