KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team has added a three-game Opening Weekend series against Bradley. The three-game set will be played in Richmond, Ky., on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. The Broncos and Braves are set to begin their respective 2022 campaigns on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 19, at 1 pm and then are slated for a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 20, starting at 11 am.
 
Western Michigan is coming off of a 23-win MAC campaign that saw them tie with Kent State for third in the conference standings. Earlier in the week, the Broncos were selected to finish fourth in the MAC Baseball Preseason Poll.
 
WMU brings back five position players who started 25 games or more in 2021, led by senior catcher Connor Charping, a First Team All-MAC performer last season who was named one of the Preseason MAC Co-Players of the Year last month by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Also returning on the infield for the Broncos is 2021 All-MAC Defensive Team selection Jimmy Allen.
 
On the pitching side, junior Easton Sikorski will get the ball for Western Michigan in Saturday's opener. The right-hander posted a 4.14 ERA in 2021 and led the Broncos in both innings pitched (63.0) and strikeouts (62).