GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Michigan junior designated hitter CJ Richmond posted his third consecutive multi-hit game and extended his overall hitting streak to 10 in a row on Friday as the Broncos fell to Michigan State, 5-3, in the First Pitch Invitational II.   
 
FINAL SCORE: Michigan State 5, Western Michigan 3
LOCATION: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (7-7) | Michigan State (5-7)
W: Joseph Dzierwa (1-1) | L: Brady Miller (1-2) | Save: Tommy Szczepanski (1)
 
Richmond went 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in all three runs for Western Michigan. The junior has collected at least one hit in 13 of WMU's 14 games so far this season and has seven multi-hit efforts. His current 10-game hitting streak is tied with Cade Sullivan for the longest by a Bronco in 2024. Richmond's three RBIs on Friday give him a team-leading 19 for the season.
 
It was Richmond who brought home the first runs of the contest as he ripped a two-out single down the right field line to put WMU in front 2-0 in the top of the first.
 
Michigan State countered with four in the bottom of the frame to grab a 4-2 edge.
 
Both starting pitchers bounced back after giving up runs in the game's opening frame, and the contest remained 4-2 until the sixth. Richmond came to the plate with two on and two out in that sixth inning and delivered again for the Broncos, plating Mike Maloney with an RBI single to trim the deficit to one. Western Michigan's threat ended there, with the Brown and Gold leaving the potential tying run at third base.
 
As they did in the first, the Spartans answered in the home half of the inning, pushing across a run to restore their two-run cushion at 5-3.
 
WMU had its chances late in the contest, loading the bases in the seventh and getting a leadoff double from Brendan Harrity in the ninth, but was turned away both times.
 
Brady Miller started and gave the Broncos 6.0 innings on Friday and struck out six. In the fifth inning, the redshirt senior collected his 200th career strikeout, making him the ninth pitcher in program history to amass 200 or more punchouts. He allowed just one run on five hits over his final five innings.
 
Behind Miller, Western Michigan got a pair of scoreless innings from lefty Joe Shapiro.
 
The Broncos wrap up play at the First Pitch Invitational II on Sunday morning as they take on Western Carolina at 10 am. The game will be streamed on the Greenville Drive's YouTube channel.