BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Western Michigan baseball team held a 3-2 edge heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but Bowling Green pushed across six runs in the frame on its way to an 8-3 series-opening win over the Broncos on Friday.  
 
FINAL SCORE: Bowling Green 8, Western Michigan 3
LOCATION: Steller Field (Bowling Green, Ohio)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (23-19, 13-9 MAC) | Bowling Green (26-15, 19-3)
W: Nic Good (5-2) | L: Brady Miller (3-5) | Save: Isaiah Seidel (2)
 
Western Michigan totaled 11 hits in the contest, including two apiece from CJ Richmond, Josh Swinehart, Greg Budig and Grady Mee. Swinehart accounted for all three runs, driving in the first two and scoring the third WMU tally.
 
The Broncos got the ball rolling in the first, as they put together three consecutive two-out hits to push across the game's first two runs. Dylan Nevar singled, Richmond doubled and Swinehart then brought both runners home with a two-bagger of his own.
 
Bowling Green got a runner to third base with two outs in the home half of the frame, but Brady Miller got WMU out of the inning unscathed. The right-hander shut out the MAC's top offense through the first four innings of the game.

With his 5.1 innings in the contest, Miller broke a tie with Keegan Akin (2014-16) and moved into sole possession of fourth-place in WMU's record book with 283.2 career innings pitched. 
 
The Falcons evened the score with a two-out triple in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Western Michigan regained the lead in the next half inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases for Jackson Kitchen, who brought Swinehart in with a fielder's choice to put the Broncos back ahead, 3-2.
 
Bowling Green countered with six in the bottom of the inning to seize an 8-3 advantage.
 
WMU had hits in each of the last three innings, but could not dent the scoreboard.
 
The Broncos and Falcons continue their three-game series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm on ESPN+.