KALAMAZOO, Mich. – On Saturday the Western Michigan baseball team fell to Toledo 7-1 in game two of their weekend series inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium. First pitch for tomorrow's contest is scheduled for 1 p.m.
On the afternoon the Broncos (12-17, 5-6 MAC) collected just one run on five hits with junior Kurt Hoekstra registering three of those five hits along with a run scored. Senior Jared Kujawa had the lone RBI for the Broncos.
Toledo (11-22, 5-6 MAC) wasted no time getting on the board, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Left fielder AJ Montoya led off the Rockets with a double down the left field line. Two batters later a sacrifice fly by right fielder Ryan Callahan plated Montoya from third and gave Toledo the first run of the ball game. In the second, the Broncos committed two errors that led to two Toledo runs and extended their lead to 3-0.
After a lead-off single by sophomore Grant Miller, Toledo retired nine straight batters to keep WMU off the board through the first three innings. The Brown and Gold threatened in the bottom of the sixth with runners on first and second and only one out, a double steal attempt by the Broncos proved costly as Miller was gunned down by Toledo catcher Lucas Sokol at third. A groundout to the first baseman by Kujawa ended the scoring threat. The flood gates opened in the top of the eighth as Toledo scored three runs on four hits and extended their lead to 7-0.
The Broncos looked to rally in the bottom of the ninth as Hoekstra laced a double all the way to the corner in right field to lead off the inning. After a groundout, Kujawa brought home Hoekstra on a slow rolling grounder to second base to finally get WMU on the board.
Sophomore Grant Miller went 2-for-3 with one walk at the plate and is now reached base on four on his five at-bats this series. Sophomore LHP Keegan Akin (2-3) went six innings allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out four in the defeat. Toledo LHP Steven Calhoun went seven innings allowing no runs on four hits.
The rubber match between the Broncos and Rockets will take place tomorrow at Robert J. Bobb Stadium with first pitch at 1p.m. Senior RHP Chad Mayle expected to be on the mound for the Broncos.
