KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan baseball dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Friday against Kent State, losing the first game, 8-3 and the second, 6-2 inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

In the two games the Broncos registered a total of five runs on 13 hits while juniors Cooper Marshall and Nate Grys each hit home runs. Marshall blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth in game one, registering his first home run while dawning the Brown & Gold.

Grys connected on his 11^th career home run and second of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning of game two.

Overall, Marshall along with junior Jesse Forestell and sophomore Drew Devine each recorded two hits in the Friday doubleheader. On the mound the Broncos used seven different pitchers to strike out 17 Kent State batters in two games.

WMU now has an overall record of 11-13 and 1-4 in Mid-American Conference play. Kent State, the preseason favorite to win the MAC improves its overall record to 14-9 and 3-2 in conference play.  
Game Three of the series is scheduled to be played Saturday, March 31 with first pitch to be determined. A game time decision will be communicated online at wmubroncos.com and through the Bronco Athletics social media channels.    

Game One (WMU – 3, Kent State – 8)
In game one, the Broncos scored three runs on five hits with three of the five hits coming in the bottom of the ninth. The ninth inning for WMU was highlighted by a three-run home run over the left field wall by Cooper Marshall to cut into the Golden Flashes' lead.

After Nate Grys led off the inning with a walk, junior Jimmy Roche doubled down the left field line to give WMU runners on the corners with no outs. Marshall then blasted a ball over the left field wall that gave the Traverse City, Mich., native his first home run as a Bronco.

Trailing 8-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Broncos had runners on first and second with two outs before a fly out to the KSU first baseman ended the scoring threat and the game.

Getting the start for the Broncos was junior RHP Nic Laio who went 6.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits while striking out a career-high eight batters. At the plate, WMU had five different players register a hit.

Kent State got off to a quick start in game one of Friday's doubleheader, scoring two runs on one hit in the top of the first inning. A two out, two RBI single by Reilly Hawkins to left field gave the Golden Flashes an early 2-0 lead.  

The Golden Flashes scored two more runs in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-run home run by Pavin Parks to extend the KSU lead. KSU scored four runs on six hits in the top of the ninth to extend their lead and secure the 8-3 victory.

Game Two (WMU – 2, Kent State – 6)
Despite out hitting Kent State, Western Michigan was unable to overcome a four-run sixth inning by the Golden Flashes en route to a 6-2 defeat in game two. WMU scored two runs in game two on eight hits while Nate Grys recorded his second home run of the season.

Grys got the Broncos on the board in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a ball that went over the center field wall on a 2-2 count to tie the game at 1-1. KSU responded with four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth, highlighted by Pavin Parks hitting his second home run of the day to extend the Golden Flashes lead.   

WMU grabbed a run in the bottom of the seventh after a bases loaded walk scored Marshall to cut the deficit to 6-2. Three straight singles to begin the inning loaded the bases for the Broncos before back-to-back strikeouts brought Connor Smith to the
plate with two outs.

Smith earned the RBI by drawing a seven-pitch walk to score Marshall from third and cut into the KSU lead.

The Broncos brought up the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth as WMU loaded the bases once again with two outs. However, a strikeout ceased the comeback attempt as WMU fell to KSU, 6-2 in game two.

At the plate Forestell and Devine each recorded multi-hit games as both went 2-for-4 on the afternoon. It's the sixth multi-hit game of the season for Devine and the third for Forestell. As a pitching staff in game two, WMU gave up just seven hits while striking out seven KSU batters.