KENT, Ohio – The Western Michigan baseball team dropped the finale of its three-game Mid-American Conference series at #23 Kent State, 11-1, on Sunday afternoon.  
 
FINAL SCORE: #23 Kent State 11, Western Michigan 1 (F/8)
LOCATION: Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium (Kent, Ohio)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-27, 13-10 MAC) | #23 Kent State (34-13, 19-5)
W: Jack Kartsonas (1-0) | L: Luke Thelen (1-4) | Save: Calvin Bickerstaff (1)
 
Kent State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as the hosts plated four two-out runs to seize an early 4-0 edge.
 
Western Michigan loaded the bases in the third, but a pair of ground balls, including an inning-ending double play, kept the Broncos off of the scoreboard.
 
The Golden Flashes extended their lead to five with a run in the home half of the third.   
 
In the fifth, Grady Mee led off with a single, then scored on a Will Morrison RBI double to trim WMU's deficit to 5-1.
 
Hayden Berg kept Western Michigan within striking distance in the middle innings, as he yielded just one earned run across a season-high 5.1 innings of relief. He struck out three for the afternoon.
 
Kent State worked its advantage back to five, 6-1, with a single tally in the sixth. The Flashes then ended the contest with a five-run eighth inning.
 
Western Michigan steps outside of conference play for its final road game of the regular season on Tuesday afternoon as it visits Valparaiso. First pitch between the Broncos and Beacons is set for 4 pm.