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Western Michigan hosted the Bowling Green Falcons over the weekend at Mercy Field in Toledo, as the Falcons took two of three in an early season MAC showdown.
Broncos coach requested the change of venue from WMU's own Robert J. Bobb Stadium. The series was played at Mercy Field, home of NAIA DI Lourdes University and Central Catholic High School. WMU played at Ohio University last weekend as a result of the same unplayable field conditions.
The first game, originally set for Friday, was cancelled due to rain.
BGSU took the first game 3-1 behind the pitching of Mike Frank, who picked up his third win of the year while going nine innings strong on 108 pitches and managed to give up just one run on four hits while striking out 12, prompting this headline:
The Falcons cracked out 12 hits but only managed to grab three runs on individual scoring plays in which T.J. Losby, Brandon Howard, and Logan Walker all managed to add one RBI.
On sunday afternoon, the two squads split the day's games, with the Broncos winning game one 6-2 and falling in the second game 12-9.
Western Michigan's Chad Mayle went 6 2/3 in the game one win while allowing five hits and two earned runs, even as he only struck out one Falcon. Catcher Brett Sunde and first baseman Hunter Prince added two RBIs each to the winning cause.
In game two, T.J. Losby's 5 for 5, two RBI game did not mean a win for the Broncos as nine runs was just not enough. Broncos starter Keegan Akin did not fair well, going five innings in which he gave up eight runs. The two teams combined to distribute 27 hits all over the diamond.
The Broncos made a solid effort over the last few innings to mount a comeback, as they entered the bottom of the seventh down 12-3. They charged back, scoring one in the seventh, four in the eighth, and another in the ninth, before falling.
Five different Falcons had two RBI in the victory.
Losby went an impressive 8-for-13 in the series.
Jared Kujawa had a nice series for the Broncos, going 5-11 with three RBIs and his first home run of the season.
BGSU moved to 10-17 and 4-5 in the MAC with the series win, as WMU fell to 13-14 overall and a similar 4-5 in the MAC.