KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team returns to Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field on Tuesday afternoon as it hosts Valparaiso. 
 

GAME INFO

Matchup: Western Michigan (22-18) vs Valparaiso (13-28)

Date/Time: Tuesday, April 30 – 3:05 pm

Site: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Tickets: wmubroncos.com/tickets

Video: Bronco All-Access

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

FOLLOW ALONG: @WMUBaseball

LEADING OFF

• In the middle of a stretch of seven out of eight on the road, Western Michigan returns home on Tuesday afternoon for the front end of a home-and-home against Valparaiso
• The Broncos are 9-4 at home so far this season
• Western Michigan holds a 35-18 advantage in the all-time series against Valparaiso
• The Beacons won last season's meeting, 9-6, the first matchup between the two teams since 2019
• The two teams have not met in Kalamazoo since 2018
• Over the weekend, Western Michigan dropped two out of three at Akron
• In the series finale against the Zips, CJ Richmond had a career-high four hits, including a pair of home runs
• It was the first multi-homer game as a Bronco for Richmond, who has hit a team-high 10 this season
• Cade Sullivan enters the weekend leading the MAC in both batting average (.421) and OBP (.513)
• The senior ranks fifth in NCAA Division I in average and 28th in OBP
• As a team, the Broncos are hitting .313, which leads the MAC and ranks 18th in NCAA Division I
• WMU is also ranked 33rd in DI in on-base percentage, which is second in the conference at .416
• Dylan Nevar is tied for third in the MAC in RBIs (47), while Richmond is tied for fifth (46)

A BRIEF STOP AT HOME
In the midst of a stretch of seven out of eight on the road, Western Michigan returns home on Tuesday afternoon for the first game of a home-and-home with Valparaiso. The Broncos are 9-4 within the friendly confines of Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field in 2024. 

SERIES HISTORY
The Broncos enter Tuesday's matchup with a 35-18 advantage in the all-time series against Valparaiso. Valpo won last season's meeting, 9-6, the first matchup between the two teams since 2019. Tuesday's contest will be the first time the Broncos and Beacons have met in Kalamazoo since 2018, with each of the last four scheduled meetings in Kalamazoo having all been canceled. The two teams will meet again next Tuesday (May 7) down in Valparaiso.

LAST TIME OUT
Western Michigan dropped its second straight MAC series over the weekend, as it lost two out of three at Akron. The Broncos rallied from a 4-1 deficit to take the series opener on Friday, but fell victim to rallies by the Zips in each of the final two games of the weekend set. 

COUNTING ON CADE
After recording multiple hits all in three games against Akron, Cade Sullivan enters the week leading the MAC and ranking fifth in NCAA Division I in batting average at .421. The senior is also atop the conference in hits (67) and on-base percentage (.513), while ranking among the league leaders in runs scored (53, 2nd), OPS (1.180, 2nd), slugging percentage (.667, 5th), RBIs (43, T-9) and walks (29, T-10). Sullivan is currently tied with Chris Lewis (2007-10) for second in career RBIs at Western Michigan with 154.

BRONCO BOMBS
The Broncos started to find their power stroke over the weekend in Akron, blasting five home runs in the series, including three in Sunday's finale. CJ Richmond had a pair on Sunday to mark his first multi-homer game for the Brown and Gold and to become the first WMU player to reach double-digit long balls this season with a team-high 10. In total, Western Michigan has 43 home runs in 2024, the 10th-most in a single season in program history. 

OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
The Western Michigan offense enters the week atop the MAC in batting average at .313, the 18th-best team batting average in NCAA Division I. The Broncos are second in the conference in on-base percentage at .416, which ranks 33rd nationally, and total hits with 432.

TERRIFIC TRIFECTA
The trio of Dylan Nevar, CJ Richmond and Cade Sullivan has been a huge part of WMU's offensive success, with all three among the top-10 in the conference in RBIs. Nevar leads the way with 47, tied for third-most in the MAC, Richmond's 46 are tied for fifth and Sullivan is tied for ninth with 43. The trio are all in the top-15 in the league in batting average as well, with Sullivan atop the MAC at .421, Richmond sixth (.364) and Nevar 15th (.340). 

NOT JOSHING AROUND
Since returning to the lineup for the Kent State series at the end of March, Josh Swinehart has been one of WMU's hottest hitters. In the 17 games he's played during that time, the senior is hitting .361 with a team-high 19 RBIs, including the go-ahead grand slam in the win at Michigan on April 9. Swinehart's 15-game hitting streak is the longest active streak for Western Michigan and is the second-longest streak by a Bronco so far this season (CJ Richmond, 17). 

WALK THIS WAY
WMU's league-leading OBP has been bolstered by 205 walks, fourth-most in the MAC. Jackson Kitchen paces the Broncos with 32, third-most in the league.