KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Despite jumping out to a quick lead, Western Michigan baseball gave up 12 runs in the final three innings to drop game three against Toledo, 13-4 on Sunday afternoon at Robert J. Bobb Stadium.

Western Michigan scored in each of the first three innings including two in the bottom of the first. The Broncos recorded their first home run of the season inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium as junior Jimmy Roche blasted a solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the third.

Roche at the plate went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a home run, a walk and a run scored. Roche was one of seven Broncos to register a hit on Sunday and over the weekend the Orland Park, Ill., native hit .300 with a .600 slugging percentage. Fellow junior Jesse Forestell scored two of WMU's four runs, going 1-for-2 at the plate.

On the mound, WMU used 10 pitchers and struck out 11 Toledo batters. It's the seventh time this season the WMU pitching staff has registered double digit strikeouts. Redshirt senior Jimmy Townsend-Chase earned the start for the Brown & Gold, going 3.0 innings allowing one run on one hit while striking out four. 

The loss drops WMU to 10-11 on the season and 1-2 in Mid-American Conference play. The Broncos hit the road on Wednesday, March 28 for a midweek showdown against Big Ten Conference powerhouse Michigan State. The Brown & Gold return home next weekend for its second MAC home series against preseason favorite, Kent State.

Over the weekend against Toledo, WMU had three players with a batting average over.300 while Roche and junior Connor Smith each led the team with two RBIs. As a pitching staff, WMU held Toledo to just a .204 batting average and struck out 31 Rockets'.

For the fifth time in the last six contests the Broncos got on the board in the first inning, scoring two runs on one hit. After giving up a run in the top half of the inning, WMU loaded the bases with one out after two walks and a single by Forestell. Roche worked a one out walk to score Andrew Stone from third and tie the game at 1-1.

One batter later the Broncos took the lead after a wild pitch from Toledo starting pitcher Bryce Davis scored Forestell from third. WMU extended its lead in the second after a two out double to left center field by Connor Smith scored Forestell from first to give the Broncos a 3-1 lead.   

It only took one pitch in the bottom of the third for WMU to open its lead to 4-1 as Roche smacked his first career home run over the left field wall at Robert J. Bobb Stadium. It was just the fifth home run of the season for WMU and first since March 10.

WMU held its 4-1 lead until the top of the seventh before Toledo scored five runs on two hits and one error to grab a 6-4 lead. In the seventh, WMU walked in three batters and used four different pitchers.

Toledo extended its lead in the top of the eighth, scoring seven runs on three hits along with one Bronco error. Overall, the Rockets scored 13 runs on a nine hits while WMU registered seven hits and four runs.