KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Jackson Kitchen and
Cade Sullivan combined to drive in nine runs to help Western Michigan claim a 14-5 series-opening victory over Akron on Friday afternoon.
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 14, Akron 5
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (8-19, 5-5 MAC) | Akron (12-17, 5-8)
W: Brady Miller (3-3)
| L: Sammy Tortorella (3-2)
Sullivan delivered three hits and a team-high five RBIs for the afternoon. Kitchen reached in all five of his plate appearances, collecting three walks, a double and his first home run as a Bronco. He also picked up a career-high four RBIs.
Freshman
Grady Mee had a career-high three hits, launched his first collegiate homer and scored three times.
Will Morrison got on base four times and also came around to score three runs for WMU.
The offensive onslaught was more than plenty for
Brady Miller, who turned in his third quality start in conference play. The right-hander limited the Zips to two runs on five hits over his six innings and struck out 10 for the second consecutive start to match his career high.
Kitchen got Western Michigan on the board first with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the second. After the next two Broncos reached to load the bases, Sullivan delivered his first two RBIs of the afternoon with a single.
Gavin Doyle followed up with a run-scoring knock of his own to make it 5-0.
WMU added five more in the third, with the first run of the frame scoring on an Akron error. Kitchen followed up with a line drive homer, a two-run shot, down the right field line. Sullivan added to his tally with a run-scoring double, and then came around to score on another miscue by the visitors.
After the Zips notched their first run of the afternoon in the top of the fourth, Western Michigan responded with three in the home half. Morrison brought Mee home with a ground ball right back up the middle, and Sullivan picked up his fourth and fifth RBIs of the contest with a base hit to right field.
With the score 13-5 in favor of Western Michigan in the bottom of the eighth, Mee launched his first career home run to right field to put a bow on the WMU victory.
The Broncos and Zips continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday afternoon at Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field. There will be a pregame Easter Egg Hunt beginning at 12:30 pm, leading up to first pitch at 1:05 pm. The first 50 children in attendance will receive a custom WMU bag to collect eggs.
