KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Behind a dominant pitching performance from junior RHP Nic Laio, Western Michigan baseball defeated Mid-American Conference foe Toledo, 5-0 on Friday afternoon at Robert J. Bobb Stadium.

Laio was dominant on the mound for the Broncos going a career-high seven innings, allowing no runs on one hit while striking out four to earn his second victory of the season. Laio's performance was the longest outing by any of the WMU starting pitchers this season.

Out of the bullpen redshirt senior Andrew Reisinger shut down the Rocket offense, pitching two innings of relief giving up two hits while striking out three. WMU held Toledo to just three hits on the afternoon and posted its fourth shutout of the season. 

Offensively, WMU scored five runs on six hits with junior Jesse Forestell leading the way going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Fellow junior Jimmy Roche contributed to the Bronco offense as the Orland Park, Ill., native went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs scored.

Western Michigan improves its overall record to 10-9 and 1-0 in the MAC. The Broncos begin conference play 1-0 for the second time in the last three years. The three-game series against Toledo continues on Saturday, March 24 with game two beginning at 3:05 p.m.

For the fourth straight game the Brown & Gold got on the board first scoring three runs on two hits in the bottom of the first. Freshman Blake Dunn was hit by a pitch to open up the inning before a sacrifice bunt by Andrew Stone moved Dunn into scoring position with one out.

On a 1-0 count, junior Connor Smith roped a single to right center field scoring Dunn from second to give WMU the early 1-0 lead. After a strikeout, Roche reached base on a fielding error by the Toledo shortstop that gave the Broncos runners on the corners. A steal attempt by Roche propelled Smith to steal home on the throw down to second to extend the Bronco lead.

After Roche reached second base safely, freshman Sean O'Keefe laced a single to center field to score the junior infielder and give WMU a 3-0 lead after one inning of play. The Broncos this season have outscored their opponents, 18-6 in the first inning.
WMU was back in the scoring column in the bottom of the fourth as Forestell registered an RBI single to score Roche from second. Roche led off the inning with a walk and then was moved into scoring position thanks to an O'Keefe sacrifice bunt.

The Broncos piled on one more run in the bottom of the eighth as junior Nate Grys crossed home plate after a wild pitch by Toledo's Kyle Bischoff to give WMU a 5-0 advantage.

Toledo had its best scoring opportunity in the top of the ninth recording back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. However, the Bronco defense converted one of its two doubles plays on the day to quickly ground the Rockets. A fly out to O'Keefe ended the scoring threat and secured the shutout for the Broncos.

The Rockets dropped to 4-14 on the season and 0-1 in MAC play. UT's Michael Jacob registered his fourth loss of the season going seven innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits while walking two and striking out five.