SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Western Michigan redshirt sophomore Luke Thelen struck out a career-high nine, but the Broncos fell at Notre Dame, 2-1, on Wednesday evening at Frank Eck Stadium.   
 
FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 2, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Frank Eck Stadium (South Bend, Ind.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (10-24) | Notre Dame (20-15)
W: Ricky Reeth (1-0) | L: Joe Shapiro (0-2)
 
Thelen tossed a career-high six innings for Western Michigan and yielded one run on five hits. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine for the evening, making him the third different Bronco pitcher to notch nine or more strikeouts in a game this season.
 
After both teams loaded the bases in the first and failed to score, Western Michigan tallied the evening's first run in the top of the second. Greg Budig kept the inning alive with a two-out double into the right field corner, then came around to score on a Jackson Kitchen single to make it 1-0.
 
Notre Dame answered with a run in the bottom of the third, the only run the hosts mustered against Thelen.
 
Both teams threatened in the fourth, but neither could dent the scoreboard as the contest remained even at 1-1.
 
The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, when the Fighting Irish pushed across the decisive run.
 
Budig drew a two-out walk to get the tying run on base for Western Michigan in the top of the ninth, but Notre Dame retired the next WMU batter to end the game.
 
The Broncos return to Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field this weekend as they welcome Bowling Green to town for a three-game Mid-American Conference series. The series opener is slated for 3 pm on Friday afternoon.