KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team rattled off 12 hits to go along with seven unanswered runs to defeat Buffalo, 7-1 in game two of their three game series Saturday afternoon.
It was an outstanding pitching performance for senior RHP Chad Mayle who secured his third victory of the season after striking out seven over 7.1 innings allowing one run on just three hits. For Mayle, it was his longest outing and fewest hits he has given up in a start this season.
For the second straight day Buffalo saw an early lead slip away after scoring in the top of the first. With a walk and back-to-back hits, the Bulls had the bases loaded with only one out. First basemen Ben Vey then brought home the runner from third on a sacrifice fly to the Bulls a 1-0 advantage.
The lead did not last for long as the Broncos scored five runs in the next two innings to seize control. In the bottom of the first with runners on first and second, senior Jared Kujawa showed opposite field power lacing an RBI single down the left field line scoring junior Kurt Hoekstra and tying up the game. Both sophomore Grant Miller and junior Hunter Prince registered RBI singles the next two at-bats to give WMU a 3-1 lead. Every Bronco in the line-up batted in the inning.
It was much of the same story in the bottom of the second as Miller scored from third after registering a triple when junior Brett Sunde singled past the Buffalo shortstop to extend the lead. With runners on second and third with two outs, Sunde came rushing from third and slid into home after a passed ball from the Buffalo catcher to give the Broncos a commanding 5-1 lead.
That is all that was needed for Mayle whose dominating performance on the mound stifled the Buffalo batters has Mayle allowed only one hit the next six innings. The Brown and Gold extended their lead in the fifth and sixth innings scoring a pair of runs thanks to Prince and Miller who registered the RBI's.
Buffalo had a chance to dig into the Bronco lead in the top of the eighth with the bases loaded and one out. Relieving Mayle was senior RHP Pat Haynes who came in and got the Buffalo to ground into the unconventional 1-2-3 double play to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Haynes in relief went 1.2 innings allowing no runs on one hit. The Broncos collected 12 hits on the afternoon with four different players having multi-hit games. One of those players was Miller who went 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored. Kujawa collected his team leading 32nd RBI going 1-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored.
WMU will look to complete the series sweep of Buffalo tomorrow with first pitch set for 1 p.m. inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium. Sophomore LHP Keegan Akin (2-4, 4.88 ERA) expected to be on the mound for the Broncos.
