WMU News

Baseball Broncos win third straight

April 28, 2000

KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University baseball team continued its winning ways with a 14-9 victory at Valparaiso on Thursday (April 27).

The win was the Broncos' third straight and improved their record to 19-19 overall. WMU is 6-10 in Mid-American Conference play heading into a key four-game series at Northern Illinois this Saturday and Sunday (April 29-30). Western Michigan is currently in third place in the MAC's West Division, just one game ahead of NIU. The top three teams from each division qualify for postseason play.

After falling behind 9-3 after five innings of play, Western Michigan erupted for six runs in the sixth inning and five in the seventh to knock off the Crusaders. Andy Spencer earned the win on the hill. He threw two innings, allowing one hit, striking out two and walking one.

Joe Seestadt had a big day at the plate, going 3-4 with a run scored and four RBI. He slugged a two-run homer in Western Michigan's three-run first inning. He also doubled in the sixth inning to plate two runners. Ryan Kochen and James Galla also collected three hits on the day. Kochen was 3-6 with three runs scored and three RBI. He doubled twice in the win, including a two-run double in the seventh that broke a 9-9 tie and gave the Broncos the lead for good. Galla was also 3-6. He drove in two runs and doubled.

WMU put six runners across the plate in the sixth to erase Valpo's 9-3 lead. Mike Scott slugged a pinch-hit double in the sixth that scored Phil Henriksen and Jason Richards and brought WMU within four runs at 9-5. Kochen later added an RBI single. Seestadt then doubled to score two.

Western Michigan's next home action is May 9, when it hosts Michigan State at 7 p.m. at Sutherland Field.

Media contact: Geoff Brown; 616 387-4138; geoffrey.brown@wmich.edu


Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
616 387-8400
univ-rel@wmich.edu

http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news