FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Western Michigan baseball team dropped game two of its three-game series against Florida Gulf Coast, 7-1 on Saturday afternoon. Senior Jared Kujawa extended his hitting streak to nine games going 1-for-4 on the day.

The Brown & Gold jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the third inning when junior shortstop Kurt Hoekstra earned his ninth RBI of the season, scoring freshman Evan Nelson from third with a groundout. Nelson reached base on a leadoff single through the right side.

Florida Gulf Coast wasted little time tying the game and pulling ahead, scoring two runs in the fourth and fifth innings and then adding three more in the sixth for seven unanswered. In the bottom of the sixth FGCU loaded the bases on two separate occasions.

“We have been playing solid baseball for 10 straight games but today we did not,” said WMU head coach Billy Gernon. “I am anxious to see how this team rebounds tomorrow as this will be a great opportunity to show competitive maturity.”

Senior RHP Chad Mayle (1-1) collected his first loss of the season going 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits, four earned runs and striking out two. Freshmen Jacob Piechota and Peyton Gray made relief appearances, going a collective 2.2 innings, allowing no runs and giving up just three hits.

One of the bright spots for the WMU (5-6) offense was sophomore Nick Vogelmeier who went 2-for-4 on the afternoon. Hoekstra's eight game hitting streak came to an end but registered his ninth RBI on the season and the only run for WMU.

The series finale between the Broncos and the Eagles begins Sunday at 12 p.m.