KENT, Ohio – Freshman RHP
Brady Miller threw a gem on Saturday afternoon to the tune of six innings allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts as Western Michigan baseball defeated Kent State, 11-1 to tie its weekend series.
Miller was dominant on the mound for the Broncos going a career-high six innings allowing just one run on two hits while striking out a career-high five Kent State batters. Miller retired the first eight batters he faced and allowed just one hit through five innings.
The Plainfield, Ill., native earned his first collegiate victory moving his overall record to 1-1 on the season. Miller became the second Bronco pitcher in three games to register at least five strikeouts.
In game two the Bronco offense exploded for 11 runs on 13 hits, marking the sixth game this season the Broncos have scored double digit runs. The Brown & Gold earned double digit hits for the 15th time this season and its 13 hits was the most since having 15 at Ball State back on March 24.
Six different Broncos recorded a hit in game two with four players earning multi-hit games and three accumulating three hit games. Senior catcher
Jesse Forestell led the WMU offense at the plate going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored while drawing two walks. The Chicago, Ill., native earned his third multi-hit game and fifth multi-RBI game.
Along with Forestell senior
Jimmy Roche and redshirt sophomore
Logan Hudson posted three-hit ball games with Roche going 3-for-6 with one RBI and two runs scored. Hudson at the plate went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore
Sean O'Keefe was second on the team with two RBIs as seven different Broncos scored runs in game two. Fellow sophomore
Blake Dunn extended his reached base streak to 27 games going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
In relief of Miller, redshirt junior
Will Mullen posted a strong outing throwing the final three innings allowing no runs on three hits and striking out one. The duo of Miller and Mullen held the Golden Flashes to just one run on five hits.
Western Michigan will look for its first Mid-American Conference series victory on Sunday, April 7 with first pitch at 1:00 p.m. against the Golden Flashes. With a win, WMU can claim its first series victory over Kent State since 1998. The Broncos improve their overall record to 8-19, 2-4 in conference play.
The Broncos got off to a quick start as redshirt senior
Andrew Stone led the game off with a walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Grys reached base on an error by the Kent State right fielder that allowed Stone to score and give WMU a 1-0 lead.
WMU added to its lead in the top of the third as Grys drew a one out walk to load the bases for
Sean O'Keefe. The sophomore delivered with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Forestell from third to extend the Bronco advantage.
After Miller saw just five Kent State batters in the bottom of the third the Bronco offense erupted for three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth. Senior
Jimmy Roche led off the inning with a double down the left field line and scored one batter later as
Logan Hudson rocketed a single back up the middle to give WMU a 3-0 lead.
Later in the fourth with the bases loaded and no outs, Forestell roped a single to RF that plated a run and increased the Bronco lead. With the bases loaded again and one out Dunn skied a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the runner from third to give WMU a 4-0 lead after four innings of play.
Kent State got on the board late in the bottom of the seventh inning as a ground ball to the Bronco first baseman with the bases loaded plated a run and cut into the Brown & Gold lead.
Heading into the final inning of play the Broncos held a 5-1 lead before the WMU offense scored six runs on three hits to widen its advantage. WMU loaded the bases with two outs before Forestell laced a two RBI single to right field to give WMU a 7-1 advantage.
The Broncos loaded the bases for the second time in the inning with two outs prior to three straight walks along with a hit by pitch plated three runs. WMU's final run came off the bat of Roche who smacked an RBI single off the pitcher's mound and into center field to grab an 11-1 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth the Golden Flashes led off the inning with a hit by pitch before Mullen halted the comeback attempt with two groundouts and a fly out to secure the victory. The win snapped WMU's two-game losing skid.
