KALAMAZOO, Mich. –  Western Michigan baseball head coach Billy Gernon announced on Wednesday that former Bronco pitcher Pat Misch will be the keynote speaker for the ninth annual WMU Baseball Leadoff Dinner on Sunday, Feb. 10.

Rich Donnelly, who spent 34 seasons as a third base coach in the MLB was expected to be the keynote speaker before being hired by the New York Mets as its Director of Major League Operations & Co-Coordinator of the Mets Spring Training. 

Newly named keynote speaker Pat Misch played for the Broncos from 2000-2003 and spent six seasons in the MLB with the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. Misch during his six seasons also signed minor league contracts with the Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers and the Miami Marlins.

After his stint in the MLB, Misch played for the Lamigo Monkeys of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League. In game seven of the 2015 Taiwan Series, Misch threw the first no-hitter in Taiwan Series History en route to the Monkeys claiming the championship. Misch in the series started game one, four and seven.

As a Bronco, Misch was a two-time Second Team All-MAC selection and ranks third in program history with 265 strikeouts. Misch also holds two of the top five single-season marks for strikeouts in a season. Misch was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 7^th round (213^th overall) of the 2003 MLB Draft.  

Misch was expected to be the keynote speaker for the 2020 event prior to Donnelly's cancellation.

The ninth annual Western Michigan Baseball Leadoff Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 10 at the Cityscape Event Center in downtown Kalamazoo. Doors will open at approximately 4:30 p.m. with a social meet and greet and silent auction bidding running until 5:15 p.m. The event kicks off with a welcome from ninth year head coach Billy Gernon, followed by player introductions.

Dinner services will begin at 5:45 p.m., followed by head coach Billy Gernon previewing the upcoming season. Donnelly will then tell his story before the night is capped off with the silent auction results along with the tradition of seniors Jesse Forestell, Nate Grys, Connner Henderson, Cooper Marshall, Matt McConnell, Chris Modrzynski, Jimmy Roche and Andrew Stone leading the Western Michigan fight song.

Individual tickets are $55 while tickets for kids 12 and under are $20. Fans can purchase a corporate table which includes 10 seats and a commemorative gift. Attendees are encouraged to dress business casual. Information regarding the silent auction items will become available closer to the date of the Leadoff Dinner.

To register for the ninth annual WMU Baseball Leadoff Dinner, CLICK HERE.