ALLENDALE, Mich. – Junior right-hander Zach Vriesenga tossed 6.0 strong innings and made Western Michigan's two, first-inning runs hold up in a 2-1 series-opening victory over Ball State on Friday. The contest was played at Grand Valley State's baseball field due to field conditions at Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 2, Ball State 1
LOCATION: GVSU Baseball Field (Allendale, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (10-9, 6-1 MAC) | Ball State (10-10, 5-2)
W: Zach Vriesenga (1-1) | L: Brendan Garza (2-2) | Save: Turner Doran (4)
 
Vriesenga got rolling right away, retiring Ball State in order in each of the first two frames. The Cardinals loaded the bases against him in the third, but a fly ball kept BSU off of the scoreboard.
 
Ball State scored its lone run of the afternoon with two outs in the fourth. The Cardinals then tried a bunt play to sneak across the tying run, but Vriesenga hopped off of the mound, fielded it cleanly and fired a strike to first to end the inning.
 
The Grand Rapids native followed up with a pair of scoreless frames before turning things over to the WMU bullpen. For the day, Vriesenga tied his career high with 6.0 innings of work and scattered five hits while striking out five to pick up his first win of the season.
 
Western Michigan got the lead for its starter in the bottom of the first. The Broncos started the game with back-to-back singles from Tanner Mally and Drew Howard. After Michael Maloney laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners, Connor Ostrander drilled a fly ball which was plenty deep enough to plate Mally. With two down, Avery Thielman found a hole on the left side of the diamond to score Howard and give WMU the early 2-0 edge.
 
Behind Vriesenga, the Broncos turned to DJ Thompson and Turner Doran to protect their 2-1 lead. Thompson retired the Cardinals in order in the seventh, and then ended the eighth with back-to-back strikeouts to strand the potential tying run at second base.
 
Doran set down Ball State in order in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts, giving the WMU staff an even 10 punchouts for the game. The righty collected the save for his efforts, his fourth of the year.
 
Western Michigan and Ball State shift their three-game weekend series back to Kalamazoo on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 pm from Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field. For tickets to any WMU baseball home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.