KALAMAZOO, Mich. –In his first career start in the Brown & Gold LHP Brandon Petersen threw a one-hit shutout as Western Michigan baseball defeated 10-0 in seven innings on Friday afternoon inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

In his second appearance of the season and his first career start the redshirt junior LHP Petersen threw a career-high seven innings allowing just one hit and striking out a career-high 12 batters. Petersen becomes the first Bronco pitcher to throw a complete game since Brady Miller vs. Ohio back on May 17, 2019.

Petersen walked the first batter of the game and then proceeded to retire the next 16 Akron batters. The Naperville, Ill. native gave up his lone hit in the top of the sixth inning with two outs on a soft line drive to left field. It's the first shutout for WMU since winning 12-0 last season at Alabama A&M.

Offensively for the second time this season the Broncos scored double-digit runs, scoring 10 runs on 17 hits with two doubles and two home runs. Western Michigan was stellar at the plate with two outs hitting .692 and scoring six of its 10 runs with two outs.

Western Michigan has seven players with a hit against the Zips and six with multi-hit games. Leading the way for WMU was senior Drew Devine who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs scored and one home run. It was Devine's fourth multi-RBI game of the season and just the second multi-hit performance.

Junior Ryan Missal earned his first multi-RBI game of the season going 3-for-4 with one run scored and two RBIs. In the cleanup spot for the Broncos junior Sean O'Keefe had a day at the plate going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs, a double and a home run.

At the top of the line-up, sophomore Jimmy Allen went 1-for-4 with one run scored while fellow sophomore Will Morrison went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs scored and one double. Also going perfect at the plate on Friday afternoon was freshman Josh Swinehart who went 3-for-3.

As a team the Broncos were 10-for-20 at the plate with runners on base and 8-of-14 with runners in scoring position. Western Michigan got the lead-off runner on in every inning on Friday afternoon and was 9-for-13 with two outs in the inning.

With the win WMU improved its overall record to 4-11 and 4-5 in Mid-American Conference play. The Broncos and Zips are back in action on Saturday, April 3 with a doubleheader beginning on at 12:05 p.m.

The Broncos got on the board quickly in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs on three hits. After a lead-off single from Jimmy Allen and a hit by pitch the Broncos had runners on first and second with no outs. The next two batters flied out before Drew Devine laced a single back up the middle to score Allen and give WMU a 1-0 lead.

In the next at-bat Connor Charping laid down a perfect bunt down the left field line, scoring the runner from third and giving WMU a 2-0 advantage. The Broncos were back to work in the bottom of the third scoring two runs on four hits. WMU had runners on first and third with two outs prior to Devine delivering once again with a single through the left side to propel the Bronco lead to 3-0.

Charping rocketed a single down the left field line that placed runners on first and second with two outs for Ryan Missal. The junior outfielder came through with an RBI single to right field, scoring Devine from second to extend the Bronco lead to 4-0.

Two innings later the Broncos were right back to work scoring four runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth. The four-run fifth inning was highlighted by Drew Devine blasting a two-run home run over the left field wall at Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames field. The two-run shot was Devine's team-leading fourth home run of the season.

Junior Sean O'Keefe belted his second home run of the season over the center field wall in the bottom of the sixth to give WMU a 9-0 lead. In the top of the ninth, Charping drew a walk to lead off the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Two pitches later, Missal roped an RBI single into right field to score Charping from second and secure the 10-0 victory for WMU.