KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Despite out hitting its in-state rival the Western Michigan baseball team was unable to rally past Eastern Michigan in the series opener on Saturday afternoon, falling to EMU 9-4 inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

Playing in its first home game in 678 days the Broncos provided an offensive outburst on their home field with four runs on 15 hits including one home run and six doubles. Western Michigan had six players with double-digit hits including three players with three-hit games.

Hitting second in the line-up redshirt freshman Will Morrison was one of the four Broncos to have a three-hit game going 3-for-5 at the plate with one double and two RBIs. It's the second multi-hit game of the season for Morrison and his third multi-RBI game.

Junior Sean O'Keefe earned his team-high four multi-hit game of the season after a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with one RBI and two doubles. O'Keefe also had one walk and is now hitting .326 on the season for the Broncos.

Sophomore Jimmy Allen had a day at the plate against the Eagles going 3-for-5 with one run scored and one double. It's the second game this season Allen has registered multi-hits and his first three-hit performance. Fellow sophomore Gavin Doyle went 2-for-3 at the plate on Saturday with one double.

Junior Justin McIntyre provided power for the Broncos at the end of the batting order going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one double, one RBI and connecting on his first home run of the season. McIntyre launched a solo home run in the bottom of the
eighth, the third of his career.

On the mound the Broncos used four different pitchers giving up 12 hits while striking out a combined 10. Out of the bullpen senior RHP Zach Mehelich was terrific throwing two innings and allowing no runs on no hits while striking out two. Reliving Mehelich was junior RHP Brenden Lovell who in two innings gave up two earned runs on three hits and struck out a team-high four.

Senior RHP Tyler Thorington threw the final three innings for the Broncos, allowing no runs on no hits while striking out three. Out of the bullpen the trio of Mehelich, Lovell and Thorington allowed just two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts.

The Broncos and Eagles are back in action on Sunday, March 28 in a doubleheader beginning at 12:05 p.m. inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

Eastern Michigan got off to a fast start in Kalamazoo, scoring seven of its nine runs in the first two innings. The Eagles gained a 7-0 lead thanks to four runs in the first and three more in the second. EMU was held scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Eagles scored two runs on three hits to gain a 9-0 advantage.

The Broncos rallied back and got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth with two runs on four hits. Jimmy Allen roped a single to left field with two outs and advanced to third one batter later after a double from Justin McIntyre. After Connor Charping was hit by a pitch the Broncos had bases loaded with two outs.

Will Morrison delivered with the first two runs of the game for the Broncos, connecting on a two-RBI double to left center field to cut the EMU lead down to 9-2.

Western Michigan got on the board once again in the bottom of the eighth with two runs on three hits. To begin the inning McIntyre blasted his first home run of the season over the left centerfield wall to trim the EMU lead down to 9-3.

Four batters later with two outs and a runner on first, Sean O'Keefe rocketed an RBI double to right center field, scoring Logan Hudson from first to give the Broncos its fourth run of the ball game.

In the ninth the Broncos got a runner on base but was unable to mount a late comeback as the Eagles won 9-4 in the four-game series opener.