AVON, Ohio- No. 8 seeded Western Michigan finally succumbed in its third elimination game, dropping out of the Mid-American Conference baseball tournament with a 12-2 loss to No. 4 Kent State Saturday.
The tournament run matched the best in school history, as it was just the second time ever, and first since 1998, WMU had won two games in the MAC postseason. After an opening round loss to No. 1 Ball State Wednesday, the Broncos advanced to Saturday play with wins over 2013 tournament champion Bowling Green (#5 seed) Thursday and 2014 regular season champion Ball State in a rematch Friday.
The contest was close early on until Kent State opened up a one-run, 3-2, ball game with three runs in the seventh.
On short rest after throwing 6.1 innings Wednesday, senior left-handed pitcher Steve Laudicina (5-7) started on the mound for the Broncos and was impressive through 4.2 innings despite the loss. He retired the first 10 batters he faced and struck out five. He allowed only three hits and one earned run.
With the appearance, Laudicina broke the school single-season record for innings pitched, which was previously 107.1 Laudicina totaled 111 this season, giving him 344 for his career, a school record he also holds, as he is the only Bronco to total over 300 career IP. With his five K's, Laudicina finishes with 210 career strikeouts, tying for third most in program history.
After playing three scoreless frames, Western Michigan was the first to get a run across in the bottom of the fourth. Theo Piccirilli hit a two-out single to left and took second when the ball bounced over the fielder's head on an error. Hunter Prince smacked a single to center field for the RBI.
Kent State pulled in front with three runs in the fifth, only two of which were earned after WMU committed a fielding error in the leadoff at bat. The big play of the inning was a ball hit deep to right field by KSU's Zach Beckner. Bronco junior Jared Kujawa gave chase and nearly made the catch, but the ball popped out of his glove as he collided hard into the wall. Kent State took the lead on the two-run triple and Beckner went on to score the third run.
Western Michigan got something going in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with no outs when Andrew Sohn and Brett Sunde hit back-to-back singles and Kujawa reached on a sac bunt error. WMU only came away with a run however, Picciriili collecting an RBI on a fielder's choice.
Kent State widened its 3-2 margin with three runs in the seventh and managed six more runs over the final two innings off a variety of Bronco pitchers.
Kent State advances to the championship game at noon tomorrow and will face No. 7 Akron. Left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer earned the win for the Golden Flashes, going 7.2 innings, striking out five, allowing two runs (one earned), six hits and four walks.
Western Michigan finishes the 2014 season with a 25-30 overall record and Saturday marked the final outing for WMU's seniors - Vinnie Booker, David Brennan, Steve Buglione, Steve Laudicina, Theo Piccirilli, Monty Porter and Dan Shutes, - all seven of which got into the game.
