PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – On the final day of the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla., the Western Michigan baseball team split a doubleheader defeating Saint Joseph's, 8-5 in game one before falling Florida International, 4-2 in six innings.  

With the split, Western Michigan moves to 8-6 on the season. During the nine-day trip to the sunshine state, the Broncos went 6-2 and rattled off five straight wins to start the Snowbird Classic. WMU returns home and begins its first home weekend of the season on Friday, March 16 with a three-game series against Butler at Robert J. Bobb Stadium.  

On Saturday the Broncos totaled 13 hits and 10 runs while committing just one error against Saint Joseph's and Florida International. In the two games, sophomore Drew Devine led the Bronco offense going 4-for-7 with three RBIs and one run scored. Junior Connor Smith registered three RBIs as well going 2-for-6 at the plate with two runs scored.

During the nine-day trip to Florida, WMU outscored its opponents, 51-31 and as a team hit a staggering .310. As a pitching staff the Broncos accumulated a team ERA of 3.39 with a 72 strikeouts. At the plate, junior Jimmy Roche led WMU in hits (14) and RBIs (9) while in Florida.

Game One vs. Saint Joseph's (W, 8-5)
WMU scored all eight of its runs in the first three innings of play to earn an 8-5 victory over the Hawks of Saint Joseph's in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. The Broncos got a masterful pitching performance from junior Nic Laio who earned the win by going 6.1 innings allowing four hits, two earned runs while striking out seven.

Junior Cooper Marshall led the Broncos offensively with three RBIs while going 1-for-3 from the plate. Sophomore Drew Devine recorded three of WMU's seven hits on the afternoon, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored.

The Broncos got on the board quickly in the bottom of the first as junior Connor Smith blasted a two-run home run over the left field wall. Its Smith's first home run of the season and fourth of his career.

Saint Joseph's picked up a run in the top second as SJU's Liam Bendo scored on a wild pitch to cut the Bronco lead to 2-1.

In the bottom of the third, the Bronco offense exploded for six runs on three hits as all nine batters for WMU reached the plate in the inning. WMU loaded the bases twice in the inning as Saint Joseph's starting pitcher Hayden Sieg was relieved after just 2.1 innings of work.

It all got started in the third by senior Andrew Stone who reached base to lead off the inning after a fielding error. After a strikeout, Stone proceeded to steal second before a Connor Smith walk had runners on first and second with one out. Junior Jimmy Roche earned his lone RBI on the day after roping a single through the left side to score Stone from second.

Devine added to the Bronco lead in the third, driving in both Roche and Smith with a two RBI single into left field to extend WMU's lead to 5-1. With the bases loaded and one out, Marshall cleared the bases with a three RBI double to left center field to extend the lead to 8-1.

The 8-1 lead held until the seventh inning when SJU scored four runs on four hits highlighted by SJU first baseman Kadar Namey hitting a two run home run to left center field.
However, RHP Andrew Reisinger stopped any thought of comeback for the Hawks as the senior threw 2.1 innings in relief, giving up just one hit while striking out three. Reisinger with the outing picked up his first save of the season.

Game Two vs. Florida International (L, 4-2 in 6 innings)
In the final game of the Snowbird Classic for the Broncos, WMU fell to Florida International, 4-2. The game was called due to heavy rain after an hour rain delay right before the top of the seventh inning.

The Broncos once again got on the board first off the bat of Connor Smith as the junior shortstop singled back up the middle scoring junior Conner Henderson from third to give WMU an early 1-0 lead. The lead did not last for long as in the bottom half of the inning, FIU rattled off three straight two out singles to tie the game.

Florida International took the lead in the bottom of the third inning scoring three runs on four hits. The Panthers extended its lead to 4-1 in the inning after two out double down the left field line.

WMU scored once again in the top of the sixth inning off the bat of Devine. With one out and a runner on second, Devine laced a ball back up the middle that scored Roche from second to cut into the Panther lead. In the bottom half of the inning, FIU stranded two runners on base before heavy rain forced the game to be called.