KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Guided by a stellar performance on the mound from junior RHP Jack Huisman the Western Michigan baseball team evened the series against its in-state foe with an 8-1 victory over Eastern Michigan on Sunday afternoon.

Huisman had a career day on the mound for the Brown & Gold, throwing a career-high seven innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits. Huisman also struck out a career-high seven batters en route to his first win of the season and third of his career.

The junior right-handed pitcher now has an overall record of 1-1 and a 2.45 ERA. Huisman has given up two earned runs or less in each of his four starts this season. The Holland, Mich., native has registered at least three strikeouts in every start this season.

Behind Huisman the Bronco bullpen allowed no runs on just one hit with four strikeouts over the final two innings. Senior RHP Will Mullen faced four batters in the top of the eighth, allowing no runs on one hit while striking out two. In the ninth sophomore
LHP Dane Armbrustmacher shut down the Eagles offense, walking one and striking out two in four batters faced.

Offensively the Broncos recorded eight runs on 10 hits with five of those hits going for extra-bases. Western Michigan was also patient at the plate on Sunday, drawing five walks. Seven Broncos earned a hit against EMU on Sunday with a trio of players earning multi-hit games.

Leading the way was the trio of junior Justin McIntyre. freshman Greg Budig and sophomore Jimmy Allen. McIntyre hitting third in the line-up was 2-for-5 at the plate with one double and two RBIs. It was McIntyre's fourth multi-hit game of the season and second multi-RBI performance.

Freshman Greg Budig was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs, two runs scored and two doubles. Budig also drew a walk and was hit by a pitch. Sunday's performance registered Budig's second multi-hit game of the season and second multi-RBI game.

Hitting in the lead-off spot sophomore Jimmy Allen was 2-for-4 with one RBI, one triple and one run scored. Allen also drew one walk against the Eagles and is now hitting .250 on the season. Allen's two-out triple in the bottom of the fifth was his first career triple.

Junior Connor Charping had a stellar day in the batter's box going 1-for-3 with one run scored and two RBIs. Charping got the Broncos off to a fast start with a two-RBI single to center field in the bottom of the second.

With the win Western Michigan improves its overall record to 2-10 and 2-4 in Mid-American Conference play. WMU and EMU concludes its series on Monday, March 29 with a doubleheader beginning at 12:05 p.m.

Eastern Michigan got on the board first in the top of the second with one run on two hits with runners on first and third and one out the Eagles dropped down a bunt single up the right field line that scored the runner from third to give EMU 1-0 lead.

It didn't take long for the Broncos to respond back with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the second. Senior Drew Devine got the inning started by blasting a double to left center field. A Gavin Doyle single to right field gave WMU runners on first and third with no outs.

On the next at-bat, Connor Charping laced a single to center field that bounced off the EMU outfielders glove, allowing both Devine and Doyle to scored. The EMU error allowed Charping to get to third and two batters later came across to score on an RBI double to left field from Greg Budig.

Western Michigan held it's 3-1 lead until the bottom of the fourth when the Broncos struck again with three runs on three hits. With runners on first and second and one out, Will Morrison connected on a RBI single to left field, scoring Budig from second to give the Brown & Gold a 4-1 advantage.

The Broncos added to their lead one batter later as Justin McIntyre rocketed a two RBI double off the wall in left center to extend the Bronco lead to 6-1. WMU added two more an inning later off the bats of Budig and Allen.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth Budig recorded an RBI double to right field to give WMU a six-run advantage. Allen came through in the clutch once again with a two out triple, scoring Budig from second to propel the Broncos to an 8-1 lead.

From that point on the Bronco pitching staff shut down the Eagle offense, allowing just one hit over the final three innings of work. The trio of Huisman, Mullen and Armbrustmacher combined to retire 11 of the final 16 Eastern Michigan batters.