March 26, 2000
AKRON, Ohio -- The Western Michigan University baseball team saw its three-game winning streak and its tournament championship hopes come to an end Sunday with two losses in the University of Akron Invitational.
WMU's three-game victory streak ended with a 6-3 loss to the host Zips in its first game Sunday. Western Michigan fell 9-8 to Cleveland State in the tournament title game Sunday afternoon. The Broncos' overall record fell to 9-8 with Sunday's defeats. Western Michigan plays at Michigan on Tuesday (March 28) in Ann Arbor.
Ryan Kochen, John Toner, James Galla, Keith Perez, and Angelo Palazeti were all named to the all-tournament team Sunday.
Cleveland State 9, WMU 8 (March 26)
WMU came up short in the title game of the Akron Invitational, falling to the Vikings.
WMU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning and battled back from 4-2 and 8-4 deficits to tie the game but could not regain the lead.
Four WMU batters recorded two hits in the loss. John Toner knocked in four runs with a double and a home run. He slugged his fourth dinger of the year in the first inning, a two-run shot that plated Andy Cosentino. Toner doubled to center in the sixth to score two runners and help WMU erase an 8-4 deficit. Joe Langschwager, James Galla, and Tim Bellestri all collected two hits on the day. Bellestri was 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored. He singled in two runs in the fourth inning to tie the score at four. Pat Misch was saddled with the loss.
Akron 6, WMU 3 (March 26)
Western Michigan's three-game winning streak come to an end as it was unable to protect a 3-2 lead. Akron scored two runs in the fourth inning and one each in the sixth and seventh frames.
Ryan Kochen went 2-2 at the plate with a run and an RBI. James
Galla and Phil Henriksen also knocked in runs for the Broncos.
Kochen doubled in Tim Bellestri in the first inning for WMU's
first run. Galla would later draw a bases-loaded walk to bring
home Kochen and tie the score at two. Two Bronco errors and two
hit batsmen helped Akron score two runs in the fourth inning
and take the lead for good.
Josh Clark took the loss. He pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing three hits. Two of the four of the runs credited to Clark were unearned.
WMU 11, Cleveland State 0 (March 25)
Keith Perez tossed a three-hitter as WMU pounded Cleveland State, 11-0, in the second day of action at the Akron Invitational. The Broncos were 3-0 after two days of tournament competition and 9-6 for the season.
WMU had runs in five of the game's seven innings on 13 hits. John Toner had three hits to lead the Broncos. Andy Constantino, Phil Hendricksen and Joe Langschwager each banged out two hits for the afternoon.
WMU 5, Akron 3 (March 24)
The Broncos got off to a great start in the tournament, defeating the host Zips behind a complete game effort from Angelo Palazeti.
Palazeti allowed just five hits and one walk in seven innings of work. The junior fanned five in winning his second straight decision.
James Galla came through with the big hit for Western Michigan, a two-run homer in the sixth inning that broke a 3-3 deadlock and gave the Broncos their seventh win of the season. Galla was 1-2 on the day with two RBI and two runs scored. The roundtripper was the first of his collegiate career.
John Toner slugged his team-leading third home run of the year, a solo shot in the third inning that gave WMU a 3-1 lead.
WMU 3, Duquesne 2 (March 24)
Western Michigan stayed perfect in tournament action with its second win of the year against the Dukes.
It was no ordinary Joes who came through for WMU, but Joe Langschwager and Joe Seestadt. Both players recorded three hits, including one double apiece. Langschwager scored three times. Seestadt's sixth-inning single drove in Langschwager with the winning run.
Andy Cosentino was the only other Bronco to collect a hit on the afternoon, doubling in the third inning.
Kody Naylor was credited with the win while Matt Vriesenga earned the save with one inning of work. Naylor fanned four and allowed four hits in six innings.
Media contact: Geoff Brown; 616 387-4138; geoffrey.brown@wmich.edu
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