MANHATTAN, KS.  – The Western Michigan baseball team dropped game two of its series with Kansas State 11-3 on Saturday afternoon from Tointon Family Stadium.

The Broncos registered three runs on four hits with one run coming in the sixth inning and two runs coming in the eighth. Through 18 innings this season WMU has now had three multi-run innings.  

Of the four hits, two came off the bat at junior Justin McIntyre. The junior infielder was 2-for-4 at the plate against the Wildcats with one double and two runs scored. McIntyre also registered a stolen base in the top of the sixth.

Redshirt junior Logan Hudson and senior Ethan Hajdukovic were the lone pair of Broncos to also register a hit. Hudson was 1-for-2 at the plate, drawing two walks while recording one RBI and one run scored. Hudson drove in the Broncos first run of the game in the sixth inning with an RBI single to right field.

Freshman Greg Budig went 0-for-1 at the plate but drew a team-high three walks with one RBI. As a team the Broncos drew seven walks with three players drawing at least two.

On the mound the Broncos used six different pitches, recording 11 strikeouts. In his first start of the 2021 season, sophomore RHP Brady Miller went three innings allowing three earned runs on just six hits with six strikeouts, one shy of his career-high.

Out of the bullpen WMU got an impressive performance from senior Zach Mehelich who threw 1.1 innings, allowing one earned run on one hit with two strikeouts. Overall five of the six pitchers that saw the mound on Saturday recorded at least one strikeout.

Western Michigan now has an overall record of 0-2 and will conclude its series with Kansas State on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m.

It was a quick start for Kansas State who scored two runs in the first and one run in the third to gain an early 3-0 lead. The Wildcats added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth after scoring two runs on three hits to earn a 5-0 advantage.

The Broncos responded and got on the board in the top of the sixth as McIntyre singled up the middle to begin the inning. The Portage, Mich., native then stole second base to give the Broncos a runner in scoring position with no outs. After a walk by senior Drew Devine gave WMU runners on first and second with no outs, Hudson laced an RBI single to right field to give WMU its first run of the ball game.

In the top of the sixth the Broncos once again had runners on first with no outs before a double play and a ground out to third base ended the scoring chance.

Western Michigan got on the board again in the top of the eighth with two runs on hit and one error. McIntyre led off the inning with a double down the left field line before a fly out and a walk by Hudson. The runners moved to second and third thanks to a wild pitch prior to sophomore Sean O'Keefe reaching base on a throwing error allowing McIntyre to score from third.

The bases were loaded with one out in the top of the eighth after Hajdukovic was hit by a pitch. Freshman Greg Budig drew his third walk of the day, allowing Hudson to score to give WMU its third run of the day.  That was all WMU could muster up in the eighth as a fielder's choice followed by a fly out to center ended the scoring threat.

However, a four-run seventh inning followed by a two-run eighth inning was enough for Kansas State to hold on and secure an 11-3 victory.