ATHENS, Ohio – Western Michigan redshirt freshman Dylan Nevar launched his team-leading 11th home run of the season in an 8-5 series-opening loss at Ohio on Friday afternoon.     
 
FINAL SCORE: Ohio 8, Western Michigan 5
LOCATION: Bob Wren Stadium (Athens, Ohio)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (17-34, 14-22 MAC) | Ohio (27-21, 19-14 MAC)
W: Edward Kutt IV (5-4) | L: Nick Crandell (2-6) | Save: Brett Manis (5)
 
Nevar homered for the second straight game to break a tie with Cade Sullivan for the team lead in home runs with 11. Gavin Doyle also went deep for the second game in a row for Western Michigan as part of his fifth consecutive multi-hit game. Doyle has reached base in 21 straight games. Will Morrison collected a pair of hits and drove in a run for WMU.
 
Jimmy Allen opened the game with a single to extend his hitting streak to 17 in a row and his on-base streak to 24 straight, both of which are the longest by a Bronco in 2022.
 
After a scoreless first on both sides, Morrison gave the Broncos the first run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the second. The Bobcats answered with two in the home half to grab a 2-1 edge.
 
The Broncos used the long ball to regain the lead in the third. Doyle drove a two-run shot to the opposite field to put WMU back ahead, 3-2. One out later, Nevar blasted a solo home run to give Western Michigan a two-run cushion.
 
Ohio responded with three runs apiece in the fifth and sixth frames to wrestle the lead away, and take an 8-4 advantage into the seventh.
 
Justin McIntyre led off the seventh with a double, and eventually came around on a Sullivan ground out to bring Western Michigan within three, 8-5. The RBI was Sullivan's team-leading 49th of the season.
 
Luke Thelen came out of the Western Michigan bullpen and dealt scoreless seventh and eighth frames, but WMU left two runners on base in the eighth and had a double play erase a leadoff walk in the ninth to see the comeback effort fall short.  
 
The Broncos and Bobcats continue their series on Friday with a doubleheader. Due to forecasted high temperatures, the twin bill has been moved up from its original start time of 1 pm to 10 am.