KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan baseball team left nine runners on base, falling in an 8-4 loss against the Valparaiso Crusaders Wednesday at Homer Stryker Field in the Broncos' final home game of 2014. Junior Jared Kujawa went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and his team-leading 32nd RBI of the season.

After a leadoff single and two walks with two outs in third, the Crusaders capitalized on their opportunity as a double to right field cleared the bases to give Valparaiso (19-24) an early 3-0 lead.

The Broncos (19-26) would have their opportunity to put a dent in the run column in the bottom of the fourth when they put two runners on base, thanks to the help of senior Steve Buglione and sophomore Brandon Cable getting back-to-back hits up the middle. However, the Bronco bats could not come alive, stranding both runners.

After giving up a run in the top half of the sixth to make the deficit, 4-0, the Broncos would respond in the bottom of the inning as Kujawa got the ball rolling with a leadoff double. Hunter Prince singled to push Kujawa to third and then stole second. Freshman Grant Miller reached on an error by the Crusader shortstop and that would end up scoring Kujawa and move Prince. On the next pitch, catcher Caleb Caton hit a deep fly to center for the sacrifice, scoring Prince and pulling WMU within two, 4-2.

The Crusaders stretched their lead with three runs off of five hits in the seventh and added one more run in the eighth. The Broncos tallied a run in each of the final two innings including Kujawa's third home run of the season, a solo blast in the eighth.

The Bronco pitching staff would get much work using five different pitchers. RHP Pat Haynes (1-3) went three innings giving up three runs on three hits and striking out two in the loss. The right-handed pitching trio of Monty Porter, Nick Vogelmeier and Kurt Hoekstra was strong out of the Bronco bullpen going 4.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits. Nick Bradley surrendered the other four runs over an inning and a third.

Junior shortstop Andrew Sohn also finished 2-for-5 and WMU totaled 10 hits in the game. Valparaiso collected 14.

Western Michigan concludes the regular season with Mid-American Conference road series at Toledo (May 9-11) and Central Michigan (May 15-17).