MUNCIE, Ind. – Guided by five home runs the Western Michigan baseball team secured a thrilling 15-12 extra-innings victory over Ball State in the series finale on Saturday afternoon inside Merchants Ballpark Complex.

Trailing by six through the first two innings the Broncos rallied back with 11 unanswered runs before Ball State scored one run in the seventh and four in the ninth to take the game to extra innings.

In extra innings Western Michigan scored one run in the top of the 12th but was matched by Ball State in the bottom half of the inning. WMU pulled away in the 14th inning scoring three runs on two hits with Drew Devine and Will Morrison each belting home runs.

On the day the Broncos scored a season-high 15 runs on 17 hits with eight extra-base hits and five home runs. Eight different Broncos registered a hit in the series finale with seven of the eight have multi-hit games.

Freshman Greg Budig provided the power for the Broncos at the plate going 2-for-6 with four RBIs, three runs scored and two home runs. Budig becomes the first player since
Nate Grys back on May 16, 2019 against Ohio to have two home runs in a game.

Redshirt freshman Will Morrison led WMU with four hits on the afternoon, going 4-for-7 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Morrison belted a two-run home run, the first of his career in the top of the 14th inning.

It was quite a day at the plate for senior Drew Devine who went 2-for-6 with a home run, three RBIs, two walks and two runs scored. Devine hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the 14th inning, his team-high third home run of the season.  Continuing to swing a hot bat was junior Sean O'Keefe with a 2-for-7 performance with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. O'Keefe tallied his first home run of the season over the centerfield wall in the top of the 12th to give WMU a 12-11 lead.  

Also joining the club with double digit hits on Sunday was Jimmy Allen (2-8), Ryan Missal (2-4) and Connor Charping (2-7). Along with 15 hits the Broncos also drew nine walks while collecting two stolen bases.

On the mound the Broncos used six different pitchers as Ball State scored 12 runs, 11 earned on 16 hits with six strikeouts. Out of the bullpen the Broncos got a stellar performance once again from RHP Will Mullen who went 4.2 innings allowing one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts.

Earning his first career victory for the Brown & Gold was freshman RHP Ryan Watt who pitched the final five innings, allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out one in 20 batters faced.

Western Michigan picked up its first victory of the season and now has an overall record of 1-9 and 1-3 in Mid-American Conference play. The Broncos return home next weekend for its first home weekend series at Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field against in-state rival Eastern Michigan, March 26-28.

It was a quick start for the Cardinals in the series finale as Ball State scored two runs in the bottom of the first and four more in the bottom of the second to gain a 6-0 lead.
After the second inning it was the Broncos on the comeback trial and gaining the lead after scoring 11 unanswered runs.

Western Michigan quickly tied the game at six in the top of the third scoring six runs on five hits in the inning. The Broncos loaded the bases with one out before Ryan Missal connected on an RBI single back up the middle to give WMU its first run of the game. With the bases loaded, Sean O'Keefe was hit by a pitch that brought home the runner from third to cut the Ball State lead down to 6-2.

The Broncos tied the game the next two at-bats as Connor Charping and Drew Devine each registered one out two-RBI doubles to tie the game at six. WMU took over the lead in the first plate appearance of the fourth inning as freshman Greg Budig blasted his first career home run over the left field wall to give WMU a 7-6 advantage.

Budig was at it again in the top of the fifth with a three-run home run to give WMU a 10-6 lead. In the top of the fifth WMU scored three runs on two hits with Budig's three-run home run coming with two outs.

Through the middle innings it was the dominant pitching of RHP Will Mullen that halted the Ball State offense. After giving up six runs through the first two innings the Bronco pitching staff retired 10 of the next 11 Ball State batters as WMU took the lead.

Western Michigan added its 11th and final run in the top of the seventh as a throwing error by the Cardinals allowed a run to score and give WMU a 11-6 lead. Ball State responded in the bottom of the seventh with a home run to left field to trim the Bronco lead down to four.

In the bottom of the ninth with one out Ball State belted a three-run home run to cut the WMU lead down to 11-10. After a fly out to left field the Cardinals had runners on first and second with two outs. Down to their final out the Cardinals rallied with an RBI single back up the middle to push the game into extra innings tied at 11.

Ball State looked to continue its momentum from the bottom of the ninth in extra innings as the Cardinals got a runner on base in the 10th and 11th innings. However, WMU halted its momentum with two double plays to end each inning.

Western Michigan gained the lead with two outs in the top of the 12th off the bat of Sean O'Keefe. O'Keefe tallied his first home run of the season over the centerfield wall to give WMU a 12-11 lead late. Ball State responded in the bottom half of the inning, scoring a run on a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game at 12.

The Broncos regained the lead in the top of the 14th, scoring three runs on two hits. With two outs Drew Devine connected on his third home run of the season to give WMU a 13-12 advantage. One batter later Will Morrison blasted a two-run home run to extend the Brown & Gold lead to 15-12.

WMU secured the victory in the bottom of the 14th as the Cardinals went down in order with two line outs and a strikeout to give the Broncos their first victory of the season.