EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team earned a big statement win Tuesday night, as the Broncos took down Michigan State 3-2 at McLane Stadium behind a stellar team pitching performance.
It was WMU's first win over a Big Ten team since May 1, 2013 when the Broncos beat Northwestern 5-2 and first win over Michigan State since the 2011 season, current head coach Billy Gernon's first at Western Michigan. The Spartans entered this game receiving national votes in both the USA Today Coaches' Poll and National College Baseball Writers Association poll.
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"This was a great win for our program. Jake Boss (MSU head coach) is a special friend and I will always be thankful for the opportunity he gave me to be one of his assistants," Gernon said. "I learned a lot from him and it altered the direction of my career for the better. That being said, the Broncos will savor this special victory and get ready for Toledo this weekend."
In the top of the second inning, Alex Goodwin drew a one-out walk and Nate Grys belted a no-doubt two-run home to left center to put WMU up 2-0. It was Grys' second home run of the season; he also hit a home run at Michigan State last season.
The Spartans climbed back to make it a tie ball game in the bottom of the third inning, scoring a pair of runs on three singles and a walk to make it 2-2.
WMU jumped back in front in the top of the fourth inning with one run and threatened to put up more in the inning. All coming with two outs, Nick Vogelmeier hit a single up the middle and moved up to second on Connor Smith's single up the middle. Senior Grant Miller delivered the go-ahead single to score Vogelmeier and both runners moved up on a throwing error in center field. Red-hot Tanner Allison was intentionally walked to load the bases and the Spartans got a fly out to end the inning.
The game went five and a half scoreless innings to end following the Broncos one-run fourth as the Bronco bullpen went to work. Jake Bartels, who earned the win to move to 2-1 this season, pitched 2.1 scoreless innings while sophomore Eddie McWilliams threw 1.2 scoreless innings following Bartels. Gabe Berman, WMU's career saves leader, earned his 24th career save with a perfect ninth inning to seal the Bronco win.
Offensively, WMU was extremely balanced, as every starter had at least one hit, the biggest coming on Grys' two-run blast in the second. Miller finished 2-for-4 with an RBI while Goodwin went 1-for-4 with a run. Vogelmeier, Smith, Allison, Jesse Forestell, Jimmy Roche and Tyler Frank all had one hit each.
The Broncos and Spartans will meet once more this season, as both teams will head to Comerica Park on Tuesday, May 9 with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. WMU will head to Toledo for a three-game series this weekend, beginning on Friday, March 31 at 3 p.m.
