VALPARAISO, Ind. – Western Michigan senior second baseman Drew Howard went 4-for-4 and drove in a career-high seven runs to lead the Broncos to a 13-8 weather-shortened victory at Valparaiso on Tuesday. The game was called in the middle of the sixth inning due to weather and impending darkness.  
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 13, Valparaiso 8 (F/6)
LOCATION: Emory G. Bauer Field (Valparaiso, Ind.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (20-16) | Valparaiso (9-27)
W: Matt Maloney (1-1) | L: Colton Rerick (0-1)
 
Howard and company got to work right away, grabbing the lead three batters into the contest. A pair of walks and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for Howard, who sent one right back up the middle for a two-run single. One batter later, Michael Maloney brought Howard in to make it 3-0.
 
The Ferdinand, Ind., native was back at it again in the second, as Howard plated a pair with a double. Mark Mennecke followed with an RBI single, and after a Maloney base hit, Avery Thielman made it 7-0 with an RBI double.
 
Valparaiso answered in the home half, picking up a grand slam as part of a five-run frame to trim the margin to two, 7-5.
 
Howard responded for the Broncos in the third, making it three run-scoring hits in as many innings with an RBI infield single.
 
The Beacons loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but a ground ball and back-to-back DJ Thompson strikeouts got Western Michigan out of the frame unscathed.
 
Western Michigan padded its lead with a five-run fifth. Howard capped his outburst with another two-run double, giving him a career-high seven RBIs for the day. The seven RBIs were tied for the third-most in a single game in program history. The play scored Tanner Mally for the fourth time in as many trips to the plate. Mennecke followed with a run-scoring double, and Maloney capped Western Michigan's offensive explosion with a two-run homer. It was Maloney's team-leading sixth long ball of the campaign.
 
Valpo countered with three in the home half, trimming WMU's advantage to 13-8.
 
In the middle of the sixth inning, lightning in the area forced the contest into a delay. The game remained delayed for a little over an hour before it was officially called due to weather and impending darkness.
 
Matt Maloney, who tossed the first two innings for Western Michigan in his first career start for the Brown and Gold, picked up the win.
 
The Broncos return to Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field on Friday to begin a six-game homestand with the opener of a three-game set against Kent State. First pitch is set for 3:05 pm. For tickets to any WMU baseball home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.