ATHENS, Ohio- The Western Michigan baseball team evened its Mid-American Conference record at 2-2 with a 12-9 win at Ohio Friday. WMU and Ohio continue this weekend's three game series tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Sophomore second baseman Nick Vogelmeier reached safely in all five plate appearances, batting 4-for-4 with a triple, a walk and three RBIs. Junior shortstop Kurt Hoekstra drove in four runs and had three hits, including a double, while junior outfielder Drew Farmer had three hits and two RBIs. In total, Western Michigan produced 15 hits, its most of the season.

Freshman LHP Jacob Piechota (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win, only allowing one hit over 2.2 innings of relief as the first out of the Bronco bullpen. Freshman RHP Josh Bays was also impressive in his relief appearance, holding the Bobcats without a hit over 1.1 innings. Bays took the mound with two on and one out the bottom of eighth and ended an Ohio threat with a strikeout and a groundout.

Junior RHP Gabe Berman recorded the final out of the game with a strikeout to earn the save, his fourth of the season. Berman is WMU's all-time career saves leader, currently with 18.

Ohio led 5-2 after one inning of play, plating five runs, only two of which were earned, off of WMU starting LHP Derek Schneider. An RBI single by Farmer and a two-run single by Hoekstra pulled WMU even in the top of the second, but Ohio's Mitch Longo went deep for a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning.

The Broncos took their first lead in the game with three runs in the fourth, pulling in front, 8-7. Both sides scored a pair of runs in the fifth and WMU added two insurance runs in the eighth for a 12-9 final.

Vogelmeier delivered a two-run triple in the fourth and Hoekstra tallied an RBI with a groundout. Vogelmeier also came through with an RBI single in the eighth and went on to score a suicide squeeze by Brett Sunde.

Ohio was held to just seven hits in the contest. Garrett Black was the only Bobcat with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. The Broncos chased Ohio starting pitcher Connor Sitz after just three innings. Christain Botter was saddled with the loss after throwing an inning of relief.

Western Michigan improved its record to 9-12 overall. Ohio fell to 13-10 and 1-3 in the MAC.