KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Sam Carlisle threw 7.0 scoreless frames and racked up a career-high 13 strikeouts to help the Western Michigan baseball team pick up a 3-2 win over UMass on Saturday to clinch the weekend series victory.    
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, UMass 2
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (12-12, 8-3 MAC) | UMass (5-13, 1-10)
W: Sam Carlisle (2-2) | L: Adam Merritt (0-3) | Save: Adam Lehmann (2)
 
Carlisle set the tone early, retiring six of the first seven batters he faced, four of which were via the strikeout. The Minutemen threatened in the fourth when a single and a walk put two on with two outs, but the righty buckled down and struck out the next batter to end the inning and start a run of nine consecutive hitters retired. UMass also put two on in the seventh, but again Carlisle was able to get out of it unscathed.
 
For the contest, Carlisle went a career-high 7.0 innings, shutting the Minutemen out on one hit while piling up a career-high 13 strikeouts. It was the first double-digit strikeout performance by a Bronco since Nolan Vlcek fanned 10 against Bowling Green during the 2024 MAC Tournament.
 
Western Michigan got their right-hander the lead in the fourth. Michael Maloney led off the frame with a triple, and then scored on a Mark Mennecke ground ball.
 
In the sixth, the Broncos had two on with two outs for Avery Thielman, and he lifted a fly ball to center field which just got over the head of the UMass center fielder for a two-run triple.
 
UMass notched a pair in the eighth to close the gap to one, 3-2.
 
The Minutemen drew a pair of walks in the ninth, but Adam Lehmann had a double play turned behind him to help close the door and pick up his second save of the year.
 
Western Michigan goes for the weekend series sweep on Sunday, with first pitch slated for 11:05 am from Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field. For tickets to any WMU baseball home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.