KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team erupted for eight runs in the third inning on the way to a 14-5 series-opening victory over rival Central Michigan on Friday.    
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 14, Central Michigan 5
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (14-27, 9-13 MAC) | Central Michigan (17-28, 9-13)
W: Ty McKinstry (3-7) | L: Alejandro Espinoza (2-8)
 
The Western Michigan offense racked up 16 hits and drew eight walks to score double-digit runs for the third time in its last four conference games. Six Broncos had multiple hits, with Tanner Mally, Avery Thielman and Lucas Rick notching three knocks apiece. Michael Maloney scored a team-high three runs, while Dylan Nevar collected a team-high three RBIs.
 
Central Michigan picked up the game's first run, an unearned tally in the second.
 
WMU's big third-inning outburst started with an error which allowed Maloney to reach base. Nevar tied the game with an RBI triple into the right field corner and Thielman followed with an infield base hit to put the Brown and Gold in front. Another single and a walk loaded the bases for Connor Ostrander, who drew a free pass to collect an RBI. Brendan Harrity followed with a two-run single, and after another CMU error, Mally plated a pair with a double. In his second plate appearance of the frame, Maloney capped the eight-run eruption with a sacrifice fly.
 
The eight runs were plenty of support for WMU starter Ty McKinstry, who after giving up the unearned tally in the second, retired seven Chippewas in a row. The right-hander gave the Broncos 6.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and striking out five to notch his third win of the year.
 
Central Michigan cut into the lead with a pair in the fifth, but Nevar pulled one back for the Broncos in the home half to make it 9-3.
 
Western Michigan then extended its lead to nine with three in the seventh. Thielman knocked in another with a single, Rick collected an RBI double and Ostrander drew his second bases-loaded walk of the contest to stretch the margin to 12-3.
 
After the Chippewas tallied a pair in the eighth, Western Michigan responded with two of its own in the home half, with Nevar and Grady Mee picking up the RBIs to restore the nine-run cushion.
 
Matt Hoover retired CMU in order in the ninth, recording the final outs in a WMU victory for the second consecutive game.
 
Following the contest, it was announced that the Broncos and Chippewas are now slated to wrap up their series with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 11 am. For tickets to any WMU home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.