KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team notched a pair of victories over Akron (13-2, 7-6) on Saturday afternoon inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field to claim its first Mid-American Conference series of the season.

On Saturday the Broncos posted 20 runs on 25 hits against the Zips with four extra-base hits including two home runs. As a team the Broncos registered a .455 batting average with six players hitting over .300 in the doubleheader. On the mound Western Michigan held Akron to eight earned runs on 19 hits while striking out 12.

Western Michigan was led by junior Justin McIntyre who recorded a staggering .857 batting average with three RBIs, one home run and one double. McIntyre scored four runs and had a 1.429 slugging percentage and a .889 on-base percentage.

Ranking second on the team for the Brown & Gold was Will Morrison with a .800 batting average with two runs scored, one double and two RBIs. Morrison registered a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage.

With the Saturday doubleheader sweep of Akron the Broncos claim their first MAC series of the season and improve its overall record to 6-11 and 6-5 in conference play. WMU and Akron conclude its four-game series on Sunday, April 4 with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m.

Game One (Western Michigan – 13, Akron – 2)
To begin Saturday's doubleheader the Western Michigan baseball team posted their second straight game of double-digit runs and hits in a 13-2 victory over Akron inside Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.

The Broncos scored 13 runs on 12 hits and scored in five of the six innings they came to the plate. Western Michigan also drew six walks at the plate while registering six hit by pitches. Six different Broncos registered a hit against the Zips with four having multi-hit games and three having multi-RBI games.

At the top of the line-up the Broncos were led by Jimmy Allen who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored. Also going a perfect 3-for-3 was Justin McIntyre to go along with one RBI and one run scored.  

The duo of Gavin Doyle and Josh Swinehart registered multi-RBI performances in Game One on Saturday. Doyle was 2-for-3 against the Zips with two RBIs and two runs scored while Swinehart continued to swing a hot bat going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored and a home run.

On the mound the Broncos were led by RHP Jack Huisman who dazzled for his second win of the season. Huisman pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out five in 24 batters faced. Out of the bullpen Ryan Watt and Luke Pappas pitched the final two innings, allowing no runs and no hits and striking out three Akron batters.

Western Michigan got on the scoreboard early in the bottom of the first scoring one run without registering hit to gain a 1-0 lead. The Broncos benefited from three hit by pitches and one walk to gain an early 1-0 advantage.

The Broncos scored two more runs in the bottom of the second and one more in the third to take a 3-0 lead after three innings of play. Western Michigan loaded the bases in each of the first three innings against the Zips.

Western Michigan extended its lead in the bottom of the fourth scoring five runs on six hits. A Gavin Doyle RBI single to left field scored Connor Charping from second to propel the Broncos to a 4-0 lead. In the next at-bat, Josh Swinehart blasted his first home run of the season to right center field to give the Broncos a 6-0 advantage.

Continuing the bottom of the fourth the Broncos got a pair of RBI singles from Will Morrison and Justin McIntyre to extend the WMU lead. Akron grabbed one run in the top of the third and top of the fifth but was unable to topple the Brown & Gold. Western Michigan scored four more in the bottom of the sixth to earn the 13-2 victory in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.

Game Two (Western Michigan – 7, Akron – 6)
In game two the Western Michigan baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh and got a walk-off infield hit from Josh Swinehart to secure a 7-6 victory and a doubleheader sweep of Akron.

The Broncos trailed 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh after Akron scored four runs to take its first lead of the series in the top of the sixth inning. Will Morrison got the top of the seventh started with a double down the left field line. In the next at-bat, Justin McIntyre belted a two-run home run over the left field wall to tie the game at six.

Sean O'Keefe kept the momentum going for the Broncos with a single up the middle and was then pinch ran for by junior Blake Dunn. Senior Drew Devine advanced Dunn to second after a single to left field before both runners advanced thanks to an Akron wild pitch.

After a groundout Gavin Doyle was intentionally walked to load the bases for the Broncos. With Josh Swinehart at the plate the freshman roped an RBI single in the infield, scoring Dunn from third to secure the 7-6 walk-off victory for the Broncos.

Western Michigan scored seven runs on 12 hits in the game two victory with seven Broncos earning a hit and three having multi-hit games. Leading WMU at the plate was Justin McIntyre who finished a triple short of the cycle going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, three runs scored, one double and one home run.

Behind McIntyre in the four-spot of the line-up was Sean O'Keefe who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Rounding out the multi-hit games for the Broncos was centerfielder Will Morrison who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one double and two runs scored.

RHP Brady Miller earned the start for WMU in game two and pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Miller tallied seven ground outs and three fly outs in 22 batters faced.

Earning his second win of the season out of the bullpen was freshman Ryan Watt, pitching 1.2 innings and allowing one earned run on two hits. Watt walked one Akron batter and registered four fly outs in six batters faced.