KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan and Kent State combined to score 48 runs on 53 hits over the course of Saturday's doubleheader, with the visiting Golden Flashes taking both ends of the twin bill, 12-8 and 17-11.  
 
FINAL SCORE (G1): Kent State 12, Western Michigan 8 (F/7)
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-32, 13-20 MAC) | Kent State (20-26, 15-17 MAC)
W: Calvin Bickerstaff (1-1) | L: Easton Sikorski (1-1) |
Save: Max Rippl (1)
 
FINAL SCORE (G2): Kent State 17, Western Michigan 11
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-33, 13-21 MAC) | Kent State (21-26, 16-17 MAC)
W: Collin Romel (4-4) | L: Ethan Houghtaling (1-3)
 
Josh Swinehart equaled his career high with three hits in both contests for Western Michigan. The Mattawan, Mich., native drove in four runs for the day, including a career-high tying three in game two. Gavin Doyle also had multiple knocks in each game, picking up a total of five for the day to go along with five RBIs. Jimmy Allen equaled his career-best with a four-hit performance in the day's finale.
 
By picking up hits in both games, Allen extended his hitting streak to 15 straight games and his on-base streak to 22 in a row, both the longest by a Bronco this season. Doyle stretched his on-base streak to 19 consecutive contests.
 
Kent State seized an early advantage in the opener with a four-run first. Western Michigan pulled one back in the bottom of the first as Allen led off with a solo home run for the second consecutive game.
 
Trailing 6-1 in the third, Doyle brought in a run with a single and Cade Sullivan plated Ben Campos with a sacrifice fly to trim the WMU deficit to 6-3.
 
The Golden Flashes countered with four in the fourth, extending the margin out to 10-3.
 
Swinehart notched an infield single to score a run in the fifth, and after KSU tallied one in the top of the sixth, Connor Charping brought Justin McIntyre in with a single in the home half, putting Kent State's advantage at 11-5 heading into the final frame.
 
The Golden Flashes added another in the top of the seventh to push the lead to seven, 12-5. In the bottom half, Greg Budig hit an RBI double, and Doyle drove in a pair with a two-bagger, bringing the Broncos to within 12-8. Western Michigan had two on with two outs and the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, but the comeback attempt was halted there.
 
Kent State got off to a fast start again in game two, plating three in the first. WMU came right back in the bottom of the inning, with an error and a Doyle RBI single cutting the deficit to one, and Swinehart then clearing the bases with a three-run double to put the Broncos ahead 5-3 at the end of one.
 
The Golden Flashes drew back within a run with a tally in the second, but Dylan Nevar answered with a run-scoring single in the home half.
 
Western Michigan then put up three more in the third, as Allen doubled home a run, and McIntyre and Doyle each notched RBI singles to extend WMU's edge to 9-4.
 
The Bronco bats went quiet in the middle innings and Kent State took advantage, building a 17-9 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
 
In that frame, Nevar brought home the final two runs of the day for Western Michigan, as he tripled into right field to bring Doyle and Sullivan around to score.
 
Western Michigan and Kent State close out their series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm within the friendly confines of Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field. Sunday is Senior Day for the Broncos, and seniors Connor Charping, Jack Huisman, Brenden Lovell, Ryan Missal and Justin McIntyre will be honored with a pregame ceremony on the field. Sunday's contest will be streamed on Bronco All-Access.