BOX SCORE
YPSILANTI, Mich.- Western Michigan (20-13-1, 5-7 MAC) was edged in the bottom of the eighth for the second straight day, as Eastern Michigan completed a weekend series sweep over the Broncos. The Brown & Gold held a 4-3 lead before a three-run home run lifted the Eagles past WMU, 6-5.
The Broncos had Eastern Michigan (13-24, 10-2 MAC) on the brink all three games over the weekend but couldn't finish out, dropping a 5-4 decision on Friday and falling in the late innings on Saturday, 12-9.
Western Michigan had to fight its way back from a 3-0 deficit on Sunday. Eastern Michigan loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk in the second inning. A walk, a sacrifice fly and a balk later, EMU had posted three runs on the scoreboard.
The Broncos took the lead in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits, also making use of an error. Zach Gentile reached on a fielder's choice and was brought across the dish on a two-run homer by Joe Sheets to left field. Matthew Abro and Max Kelmigian hit back-to-back singles and an error on the shortstop allowed Abro to score. Pedro Dager drove in Kelmigian for the fourth run with a single to center field.
WMU hung onto the lead until the bottom of the eighth. With one out and runners on the corners, EMU's Zack Leonard took a 1-0 offering from Tim Mowry and sent it out of the park. His three-run blast put Eastern Michigan back on top, 6-4.
A leadoff home run by Dager in the top of the ninth inched the Broncos within one, 6-5, but that is where the score would stay. WMU had the tying run in scoring position with two outs after a Simotes double but a groundout in the next at bat sealed the victory for Eastern Michigan.
Pitching the final two innings for Western Michigan, Mowry (1-2) took the loss. Freshman starter Brian Stroud hurled six innings, allowing three runs on just four hits. The Broncos out-hit EMU, 13-7.
Simotes and Dager led WMU at the plate, each batting 3-for-4. Sheets and Gentile had two hits apiece.
Jake Stapf (1-2) got the win for Eastern Michigan scattering 12 hits and four earned runs while recording three strikeouts in eight innings of work. Robert Wendzicki earned the save.
Keeping to conference play, the Broncos will look to rebound against Ball State, hosting the Cardinals in a three-game series April 25-27. Friday's game one at Hyames Field is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's games two and three start with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Game Notes: Western Michigan hit seven home runs by five different players in the three-game series with EMU and out-hit the Eagles, 35-25 ... WMU was edged in the final half of the game all three days, allowing just five runs combined through the first four innings and 18 in the fifth through eighth.
