MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Western Michigan baseball's potent offense was held at bay Saturday afternoon at Central Michigan as the Broncos fell to the Chippewas in game two 6-1 at Theunissen Stadium.
The Bronco offense that came into the weekend ranking 33rd in the NCAA in batting average was held to just one run on five hits in game two of its weekend series. Five different Broncos earned a hit on Saturday with senior Jimmy Roche registering the lone RBI.
Roche went 1-for-3 at the plate and recorded his 25th RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning. The Orland Park, Ill., native extended his reached base streak to 13 games while also extended his hitting streak to four games.
Fellow redshirt senior Andrew Stone extended his reached base streak to eight games against the Chippewas after a 1-for-3 outing at the plate. Sophomore Justin McIntyre was the lone Bronco to cross home plate on Saturday going 1-for-3 with a run scored in the eight spot of the line-up.
On the mound the Broncos used three pitchers to total seven strikeouts and allowing just three walks. Junior RHP Zach Mehelich out of the bullpen shut down the CMU offense going 3.1 innings allowing one run on two hits while matching his career-high with five strikeouts.
Defensively for the 14th time this season the Broncos finished the game with zero errors compared to one for CMU. As a team WMU left seven runners on base and drew just two walks.
The two in-state rivals will wrap up its weekend series on Sunday, May 28 with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. The Broncos now have an overall record of 13-25 and are 6-9 in Mid-American Conference play.
After both teams were held scoreless in the first inning, Central Michigan got on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI single to left field. The Chippewas loaded the bases with two outs before freshman Brady Miller registered a fly ball to right field to end the scoring threat.
WMU bounced back the next half inning, scoring one run on three hits in the top of the third. McIntyre led off the inning with a single to left field followed by a bunt single from
Stone that gave WMU runners on first and second with no outs. After a fly out, senior Jesse Forestell loaded the bases for the Broncos with a single to left field.
In the next at-bat, Roche registered a sacrifice fly to left field to score McIntyre from third and tie the game at 1-1. Sophomore Sean O'Keefe drew a two out walk to load the bases for the second time in the inning before a swinging strikeout ended the scoring chance.
CMU answered back again in the bottom of the third scoring two runs on three hits highlighted by a one out two-RBI double through the left side of the infield to take a 3-1 lead.
The Chippewas added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth with two runs on two hits and scored one more in the seventh to secure the 6-1 victory.
