ATHENS, Ohio – Western Michigan scored six unanswered runs including five in the seventh inning to claim the series victory over Ohio with a 10-6 game three win on Sunday at Bob Wren Stadium.

With the win, WMU has now won five of its last six Mid-American Conference series and improves its overall record to 22-23 and 11-11 in conference play. It's the first time since 2016 that the Broncos have won five conference series.

For the fourth straight game the Broncos registered double digit hits, collecting 10 runs on 14 hits. It's the sixth time this season WMU has scored 10 or more runs in a game.
WMU trailed 6-4 heading into the top of the seventh before the Brown & Gold offense exploded for five runs on five hits in the seventh. The Broncos added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to score six unanswered runs and claim the four-run victory.

Freshman Blake Dunn continued his dominance at the plate against the Bobcats going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored on Sunday. Over the weekend the Saugatuck, Mich., native went 9-for-14 with four RBIs, two runs scored and two doubles.

Leading off for the Broncos was junior Connor Smith who went 3-for-6 with a career-high three doubles, three RBIs and a run scored. Smith now has 18 multi-hit games this season and six multi-RBI games.

Eight of the nine batters in WMU's starting line-up registered a hit on Sunday with five Broncos having multi-hit games. Redshirt freshman Logan Hudson earned his third multi-hit game of the season going 2-for-3 with a career-high two RBIs and a career-high two runs scored.

The one through five batters carried the Bronco offense, recording a staggering .400 batting average while driving in seven of the team's 10 runs and scoring five runs.

WMU used four pitchers against Ohio on Sunday, giving up just seven hits while striking out four. Redshirt senior Jimmy Townsend-Chase earned the victory for the Broncos, going three innings allowing two runs on four hits. Townsend-Chase now has an overall record of 1-2.

In relief, sophomore RHP Zach Mehelich was phenomenal on the mound throwing three innings of scoreless and hitless ball while striking out four Ohio batters. Mehelich earned his first save of the season and retired 10 of the final 11 batters.

To end the season, Western Michigan travels to Muncie, Ind. for a three-game series against Ball State beginning on Thursday, May 17. The Broncos will look to secure a spot in the MAC Tournament for the fifth year in a row as the top six teams advance to Avon, Ohio.

Once again the Broncos got on the board first in the first inning, marking the third straight game doing so. With two outs, junior Jimmy Roche reached on an error before a walk gave WMU runners on first and second with two outs. Dunn delivered once again for the Brown & Gold with an RBI single through the left side to score Roche and give WMU an early 1-0 lead.

Ohio responded quickly in the bottom of the first scoring four runs on two hits, highlighted by a three-run home run by Tanner Piechnick.

WMU scored once more in the second before collecting two runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 4-4 through three innings. In the third the Brown & Gold led off the inning with a double by Roche before a triple by junior Nate Grys scored Roche to cut the Ohio lead to one. Three pitches later, Dunn earned his second RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Grys and tying the game.   

The score remained 4-4 until the fifth when Ohio grabbed one run on one hit as a sacrifice fly to centerfield gave the Bobcats the lead once again. Ohio extended its lead in the sixth after a two out RBI single to left field scored a Bobcat runner from second.

Trailing 6-4 heading into the top of the seventh, the Bronco offense came to life with five runs on five hits to take a commanding 9-6 lead. WMU loaded the bases with one out prior to Logan Hudson lacing a two RBI single to left center field to tie the game at 6-6.

WMU regained the lead after a wild pitch with runners on the corners scored DeVine from third to give the Broncos a 7-6 lead. After a fly out to left field, Connor Smith roped an RBI double to left field to score Hudson from second and open up the Bronco lead. Two pitches later on an 0-1 count, redshirt junior Andrew Stone singled through the right side to score Smith and give WMU a 9-6 advantage.

In the top of the ninth, the Broncos added an insurance run off the bat of Smith. A pop-out to the Ohio first baseman was the first out of the inning before Logan Hudson rocketed a double off the left field wall to give WMU a runner in scoring position.

With two outs, Smith connected on his third double of the day to left center field, once again scoring Hudson to extend the Bronco lead. In the bottom of the ninth, Mehelich's dominance continued recording back-to-back strikeouts to begin the inning before a groundout ended the game and secured the series victory for the Broncos.