KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Winners of four in a row, the Western Michigan baseball team returns to Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field this weekend as it welcomes Miami to town for a three-game Mid-American Conference series. 

SERIES INFO: Western Michigan (16-13, 8-4 MAC) vs Miami (14-16, 8-7)
Game One: Saturday, April 13 | 12 pm (G1 of DH) | TICKETS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
RHP Brady Miller vs RHP Patrick Mastrian IV
Game Two: Saturday, April 13 | G2 of DH | TICKETS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
RHP Nolan Vlcek vs LHP Nick Vardavas
Game Three: Sunday, April 14 | 1:05 pm | TICKETS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
RHP Jayden Dentler vs TBA

FOLLOW ALONG: @WMUBaseball

LEADING OFF

• Western Michigan begins a four-game homestand this weekend as it hosts Miami for a three-game set
• The Broncos are 4-2 at home this season and have won six straight MAC home series
• Western Michigan holds a 102-76 advantage in the all-time series against Miami
• The Broncos took two out of three from the RedHawks down in Oxford last season
• The two teams split a four-game set in Kalamazoo back in 2022
• The Broncos won their fourth straight game on Tuesday as they rallied to win at Michigan, 10-9
• Josh Swinehart hit a grand slam with two outs in the ninth to complete the comeback
• The slam capped a career-high, five-RBI performance for the senior
• Last Saturday, Nolan Vlcek threw WMU's first nine-inning complete game since 2019
• Vlcek boasts the top ERA in the conference by nearly a full run at 2.40
• As a team, the Broncos own the top ERA in conference play at 4.29
• Western Michigan is atop the MAC in both batting average (.311) and on-base percentage (.419)
• CJ Richmond leads the MAC in RBIs (36), on-base percentage (.504) and OPS (1.159)
• Dylan Nevar is tied for second in the conference with 35 runs batted in
• Cade Sullivan (.407) and Richmond (.382) are second and third, respectively, in the MAC in average

HOME SWEET HOME
After a perfect 4-0 road trip, Western Michigan returns to Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field this weekend for a three-game series against Miami. The Broncos are 4-2 at home so far in 2024 and going back to last season, have won six consecutive MAC home series. 

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan owns an 102-76 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs. The Broncos have won the season series over the RedHawks two of the last three seasons, including taking two out of three in Oxford in 2023. Miami's last trip to Kalamazoo came in 2022, with the two teams splitting a four-game set. 

LAST TIME OUT
Trailing by four heading into the top of the ninth inning on Tuesday at Michigan, the Broncos rallied with five in the ninth for a 10-9 win in Ann Arbor. Josh Swinehart capped the rally with a two-out grand slam, giving the senior a career-high five RBIs in the contest. With the win, Western Michigan took the season series from the Wolverines, 3-2.

NASTY NOLAN
Senior right-hander Nolan Vlcek went the distance in WMU's 10-1 victory over Ohio last Saturday. It was Western Michigan's first complete game of the season and its first nine-inning complete game since Brady Miller went the full nine in a victory over Ohio in 2019. Vlcek's outing dropped his ERA down to 2.40, the lowest mark in the conference by nearly a full run. 

OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
The Western Michigan offense enters the weekend atop the MAC in both batting average (.311) and on-base percentage (.419), with the batting average ranking 26th in NCAA Division I and the OBP ranked 34th nationally. The Broncos are second in the league in runs per game at 7.8.

TERRIFIC TRIFECTA
The middle of the order trio of Cade Sullivan, CJ Richmond and Dylan Nevar has been a huge part of Western Michigan's offensive success thus far. Richmond paces the conference with 36 RBIs, Nevar is tied for second with 35 and Sullivan is sixth with 33. Sullivan (.407) and Richmond (.382) are also second and third, respectively, in the league in batting average.

RAKING RICHMOND
In addition to leading the conference in RBIs with 36, CJ Richmond sits atop the MAC in both on-base percentage at .504 and OPS at 1.159. The junior ranks third in the league in batting average (.382), tied for sixth in doubles (9) and seventh in slugging (.655).

SWINGIN' SULLIVAN
Like Richmond, Cade Sullivan is all over the MAC leaderboards. The senior first baseman is tied for the most hits in the conference with 48 and ranks second in runs scored with 38. Sullivan is also inside the top-10 in batting average (.407, 2nd), OBP (.500, 2nd), slugging (.644, 9th), OPS (1.144, 3rd), RBIs (33, 6th) and walks (21, T-6th).

WESTERN WORKHORSES
WMU's pitching staff was dominant last weekend in Athens, with each starter at least working into the seventh inning. Brady Miller gave the Broncos 7.0 innings for the second straight start, Nolan Vlcek pitched the staff's first complete game of the season and Jayden Dentler went the first 6.2 innings of Western Michigan's first shutout of 2024. Behind that starting trio, the Brown and Gold are atop the MAC in ERA (4.29) and second in opponents' batting average (.246) in conference play. The Broncos have issued the fewest walks in league play (41), and have walked one or fewer opposing batters in four of their last five MAC games.