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Western Michigan University Athletics

Nolan Zajac hustles down the line to first base
Kaley Buck, WMU Athletics
8
Winner Kent State KENTST 30-10, 16-6 MAC
7
Western Michigan WMU 20-17, 14-8 MAC
Winner
Kent State KENTST
30-10, 16-6 MAC
8
Final
7
Western Michigan WMU
20-17, 14-8 MAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 R H E
Kent State KENTST 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 8 11 2
Western Michigan WMU 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 7 12 2

W: Caden Leonard (2-2) L: Hoover, Matt (1-2) S: Brody Krzysiak (4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

WMU Drops Series Opener to Kent State in Extra Innings

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, but ultimately fell, 8-7, in 13 innings to Kent State in the opener of the two teams' MAC weekend series on Friday.   
 
FINAL SCORE: Kent State 8, Western Michigan 7 (F/13)
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (20-17, 14-8 MAC) | Kent State (30-10, 16-6)
W: Caden Leonard (2-2) | L: Matt Hoover (1-2) | Save: Peyton Williams (4)
 
Trailing 7-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Western Michigan got its rally started with a pinch-hit single by Connor Ostrander. With two outs, a Drew Howard single and hit batter loaded the bases for Michael Maloney. A passed ball brought in WMU's first run of the frame and advanced the other runners to second and third. Maloney then knocked a single the other way to plate two more and even the contest at 7-7.
 
Both teams had chances early on in extra innings, including Turner Doran getting Western Michigan out of a bases-loaded jam in the 11th.
 
The game remained tied until the 13th, when Kent State scratched across an unearned run. Tanner Mally drew a walk to begin the home half, but the Broncos were ultimately turned away.
 
Western Michigan picked up the game's first run in the second, when Nolan Zajac laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring home Josh Polubinski.
 
The 1-0 edge held until a two-out home run in the fifth put the visitors on top, 3-1.
 
In the seventh, a pair of Kent State errors opened the door for the Broncos to regain the lead. A single and an error got WMU started, and Mally doubled home a run to close the gap to one. One out later, Drew Howard tied the contest with a sacrifice fly. The Golden Flashes then dropped a potential inning-ending pop up, which allowed Mally to score and put the Brown and Gold back in front, 4-3.
 
Kent State tied it with an unearned tally in the eighth, and then picked up three in the ninth to regain the lead and set the stage for WMU's ninth-inning rally.
 
The Broncos and Golden Flashes continue their weekend series on Saturday, with first pitch set for 2:05 pm from Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field. For tickets to any WMU baseball home game, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets.     

 
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