LEXINGTON, Ky. – Will Morrison tied his career high with four hits, as Western Michigan fell, 14-3, in the opener of its three-game weekend series at Kentucky on Friday evening at Kentucky Proud Park.  
 
FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 14, Western Michigan 3
LOCATION: Kentucky Proud Park (Lexington, Ky.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (1-3) | Kentucky (5-0)   
W: Cole Stupp (1-0) | L: Jack Huisman (0-1) | Save: None
 
Morrison's four hits tied his career high, and are the most by a Bronco in a single game so far this season. Connor Charping added three hits and scored a pair of runs for Western Michigan. Charping's three hits extended his on-base streak to 14 in a row, dating back to the end of last season.
 
Ryan Missal hit a solo home run in the eighth, the first long ball of his collegiate career. In his collegiate debut, Tyler Overaitis notched the first hit of his collegiate career, a seventh-inning single.
 
Freshman Ethan Houghtaling posted the top pitching performance for the Broncos, tossing a career-high three innings in relief without allowing a run or a hit.
 
Western Michigan had runners at second and third in the top of the first, but was turned away. In the home half of the frame, Kentucky pushed across three runs to take the early 3-0 lead. The Wildcats added two more in the second to take a 5-0 edge into the third.
 
The Broncos tallied their first run in the third, as Gavin Doyle singled up the middle with the bases loaded to plate Charping. WMU had to settle for one, however, and left the bases loaded in the inning. Kentucky answered with two in its half of the third and five in the fourth to extend its advantage to 12-1.
 
WMU pulled one back in the fifth, as Charping and Morrison began the frame with back-to-back doubles to make it 12-2. UK responded with two in the bottom of the inning.
 
Missal capped the evening's scoring with a solo shot in the eighth, the first home run of his collegiate career.
 
Western Michigan and Kentucky continue their three-game series on Saturday afternoon at 1 pm on SEC+. Southpaw Dane Armbrustmacher (0-0, 3.60) is slated to toe the rubber for the Broncos, while the Wildcats will counter with fellow lefty Magdiel Cotto (1-0, 4.50 ERA).