Broncos earn first win of season after late inning heroics

By Scott Sierzenga
Western Herald

Sophomore Ryan McMillan smacked in a two out walk-off base hit to give the Western Michigan University (1-7) baseball team their first win of the season against Villanova University.

After another tough loss Wednesday to Valpraiso University, 10-7, the Broncos were able to shake that game off and start Thursday’s game with a breath of fresh air. Senior Chris Lewis finally had the breakout game the team has been waiting for going 4-for-5 and scoring the game winning run. Lewis led off the ninth inning when the score was tied at 7-7 and eventually maneuvered his way around the bases until McMillan gave Villanova their fatal blow.

The Brown and Gold didn’t just beat any old team – the Wildcats (7-1) headed into Thursday’s action having already beaten Purdue University and Indiana University so far this season. Villanova also defeated the team the Broncos struggled with a couple games prior, Kansas State University, 8-5.

Villanova was in control for most of the game and they started early and often. The Wildcats scored two runs in the top of the first inning, after sophomore Jack Scanlon drew a walk with one out. Lewis advanced Scanlon to second with a single and a passed ball and SAC fly brought him home.

The Wildcats scored a run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings and held a 5-3 lead going into the seventh inning. The Broncos offense ignited in the fifth inning though and scored a run in each inning for the rest of the game, plating three in the eighth to complete the comeback.

Junior Grant Simotes led the comeback charge with his leadoff pinch-hit homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning. Although, it wasn’t until senior Kyle Galbraith’s single that scored two runs later in the inning that the Broncos took their first lead of the game, 7-6. Brad Wehrmeyer was able to score on Galbraith’s hit thanks to his one out triple. Wehrmeyer finished the game going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Galbraith also posted up two hits, two runs and two RBI’s.

Villanova responded with a run in the ninth inning to make it interesting and put the ball back in WMU’s court, but was no match for the fire the Broncos had in hopes of getting their first win of the season.

Senior Billy Morrison gave Western Michigan six strong allowing four earned runs and kept the Broncos within striking distance all day. Closer Tim Mowry came in to pitch the final inning, giving up one earned run and collecting the win for the Brown and Gold.

WMU looks to parlay their momentum into a couple more wins to complete their spring trip. They will continue Friday when they face St. Bonaventure University at 4 p.m.

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Posted by heraldstaff on Mar 4 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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