NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The Western Michigan baseball team launched four home runs on the way to a 10-5 series-clinching victory at CSUN on Sunday.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 10, CSUN 5
LOCATION: Robert J. Hiegert Field (Northridge, Calif.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (4-7) | CSUN (6-5)
W: DJ Thompson (1-0) | L: Lucas Alaniz (0-1)
 
The Matadors opened the scoring for the second straight day, plating a run in the bottom of the first.
 
Michael Maloney answered in the third for WMU by homering for the second consecutive day, a two-run shot, to put his team in front, 2-1.
 
CSUN pushed across four in the fourth to take a 5-2 advantage.
 
Western Michigan responded with a five-run fifth. Jacob Rowold started the frame with a solo home run, his first as a Bronco. The next three batters then all reached to load the bases for Maloney, who put one in play to drive in his third run of the contest. A hit batter re-loaded the bases for Connor Ostrander, who promptly cleared them with a three-run double to put the Brown and Gold back on top, 7-5.
 
The Broncos then tacked on three more in the seventh, thanks to back-to-back home runs. Lucas Rick deposited one over the left field wall for a two-run shot, and Ostrander then followed with a solo blast to make it 10-5 and tie his career high with his fourth RBI of the day.
 
The WMU bullpen did the job from there, with the duo of DJ Thompson (2.1 IP) and Turner Doran (2.2) combining to shut out CSUN over the final five innings while limiting the home team to just two hits and three total baserunners. Thompson picked up the win, his first of the season, and Doran erased two of the three baserunners with double plays.
 
Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo for its Home Opener on Wednesday against Siena Heights. First pitch from Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field is scheduled for 3:05 pm. For tickets to any WMU baseball home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.