LAKELAND, Fla. – The Western Michigan baseball team battled the prospects from the Detroit Tigers organization but fell 10-2 on Wednesday at Joker Marchant Stadium. It was the third consecutive year the Broncos have squared off with the Tigers' prospects.
Official statistics were not registered for the contest, which was an exhibition.
WMU scored the first two runs of the game and held their professional counterparts scoreless for five innings. The prospects flexed their offense muscles in the bottom of the sixth, scoring eight runs to put a sizable margin between them and the Broncos.
Senior
Dan Shutes was locked in at the plate for Western Michigan, as he went 2-for-2 with an RBI. He doubled to score
Brandon Cable from first in the top of the third to give WMU a 1-0 lead. Cable again came around to score in the sixth to put WMU up, 2-0, when
Kurt Hoekstra hit into a double play with bases loaded.
WMU had a planned staff day on the mound and the first five pitchers, Steve Laudicina, David Brennan, Hoekstra, Matt Nestor and Monty Porter were solid going five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits, walking two and striking out seven. As a team, Western Michigan fanned nine batterrs.
“I want to thank Dan Lunetta and Dave Dombowski for making this a possibility for the third year in a row,” said WMU head coach Billy Gernon.
"The Tigers are a first class organization, and our players and the coaches greatly appreciate this opportunity.”
The experience of playing against future Detroit Tigers is something the Broncos won't soon forget.
A few notable players on the Detroit prospects side was right fielder Ben Verlander and second baseman Javier Betancourt. Verlander is the younger brother of 2012 MVP and CY Young award winner Justin Verlander. Betancourt is a highly touted talent for the Tigers, batting .333 with five home runs and 37 RBIs in two seasons with the GCL Tigers of the Gulf Coast League.
WMU will have on off day tomorrow before heading back to the field on Friday in a doubleheader against the Northeastern Huskies at 10 a.m. then the Maine Bears at 2 p.m. Both games will be played in Port Charlotte, Fla. as part of the Snowbird Classic.
