MUNCIE, Ind. – It was a big day at the plate for senior
Jimmy Roche who went 3-for-4 with one home run, one run scored and three RBIs as Western Michigan baseball dropped game one of its weekend series at Ball State, 8-5 on Friday afternoon.
Roche connected on his second home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth to cut into the Ball State lead. The senior infielder led the Broncos with three RBIs and registered his fourth multi-hit game and third multi-RBI game of the season. The Orland Park, Ill., native was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Junior
Ethan Hajdukovic joined Roche with his first multi-RBI game of the year after going 1-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs, a home run and a run scored. Hajdukovic blasted a home run over the right field wall in the bottom of the seventh for his second of the season.
It's the 12th time this season WMU has had at least one home run in a game and fourth time with multi-home runs. Overall seven Broncos registered a hit on Friday afternoon with WMU totaling nine.
On the mound the Brown & Gold used four different pitchers generating nine strikeouts. In relief, redshirt junior
Will Mullen matched his career-high, throwing four innings, allowing just one run on two hits. Mullen also recorded a new career-high with four strikeouts in 14 batters faced.
The Broncos now have an overall record of 6-14 and 0-1 in Mid-American Conference play. WMU will be back in action on Saturday, March 23 for game two against the Cardinals with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.
It was a quick start for the Cardinals, hitting a solo home run over the left field wall on an 0-2 count with two outs to gain an early 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Ball State extended its lead in the top of the fourth after its second solo home run of the game to right center field.
WMU was held hitless until the bottom of the fourth before redshirt senior
Andrew Stone ran out a single to third base for the Broncos first hit of the ballgame. On the next at-bat, sophomore
Blake Dunn single through the right side of the infield to give WMU runners on first and second with no outs.
On a 2-0 count
Jimmy Roche delivered with an RBI double to right center field, scoring Stone to cut into the Cardinal lead. After back-to-back strikeouts, senior
Jesse Forestell was intentionally walked to load the bases before the Dunn was thrown out trying to steal home.
It didn't take long for Ball State to respond, scoring five runs on six hits in the top of the fifth to grab a 7-1 advantage. The fifth inning scoring for the Cardinals was highlighted by a bases clearing triple to center field as the Bronco outfielders collided allowing all runners to score.
The Broncos got back on the board in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a two-run home run off the bat of
Jimmy Roche.
Blake Dunn drew a walk with one out to give WMU a runner on base before Roche belted his second home run of the season to cut into the Ball State lead.
After a 1-2-3 top of the seventh for Ball State the Western Michigan offense went back to work as sophomore
Drew Devine led off the bottom of the seventh with a single back up the middle. One pitch later,
Ethan Hajdukovic smashed a two-run home run over the right field wall to cut the Cardinals deficit down to 7-5.
However, the Broncos were unable to capitalize on the offensive momentum in the final innings as Ball State grabbed one run in the top of the ninth to secure an 8-5 game one victory.
