GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Michigan hit a total of five home runs, including one in each game from junior designated hitter CJ Richmond, in a doubleheader on Saturday at the First Pitch Invitational in Greenville, S.C. The Broncos dropped their first game of the day to Michigan State, 13-3, then fell, 8-6, to Illinois in 10 innings.
 
FINAL SCORE (G1): Michigan State 13, Western Michigan 3 (F/8)
LOCATION: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (6-3) | Michigan State (4-5)
W: Nick Powers (2-1) | L: Brady Miller (1-1)
 
FINAL SCORE (G2): Illinois 8, Western Michigan 6 (F/10)
LOCATION: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (6-4) | Illinois (4-5)
W: Jake Rons (1-0) | L: Hayden Berg (1-1)
 
Western Michigan fell into an early hole in its second game of the day, as Illinois pushed across four runs in the top of the first.
 
Dylan Nevar got the Broncos on the board with a two-run home run in the fourth, cutting the deficit in half at 4-2.
 
The Fighting Illini used single tallies in the fifth and seventh innings to restore the four-run cushion, 6-2.
 
Josh Swinehart launched a solo shot, his first of the season, in the seventh, and Richmond then evened the game at 6-6 with a three-run shot, his second home run of the day, in the bottom of the eighth. Richmond led Western Michigan with four RBIs on Saturday.
 
After Hayden Berg dealt a scoreless top of the ninth, WMU had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth. Grady Mee led off with a double and advanced to third with one out, but was left stranded, sending the contest into extra innings.
 
Illinois regained the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the 10th. The Broncos put two on in the home half of the frame, but a double play ended the threat.
 
Western Michigan opened the scoring in the top of the first inning in its first game of the day, as Cade Sullivan blasted a two-out, solo home run to center.
 
Michigan State answered with three in the home half of the first to grab a 3-1 edge. Jackson Kitchen came through with a two-out, RBI single to pull WMU to within one in the top of the second, but the Spartans again responded to take a 4-2 lead into the third. MSU then added two runs each in the fourth and fifth frames to extend the margin to 8-2.
 
In the sixth, Richmond launched a solo shot, his second of the season, to trim the deficit to five.
 
The Spartans again had a response, tallying a run in the bottom of the sixth to restore the six-run spread, 9-3. Michigan State then pushed across one in the seventh and three in the eighth to wrap up game one.
 
The Broncos wrap up their weekend at the First Pitch Invitational on Sunday afternoon as they take on Florida State. First pitch is scheduled for 3 pm and the game will be streamed live on the Greenville Drive's YouTube channel.