WMU News

Baseball team faces Chippewas, home and away

April 20, 2000

KALAMAZOO -- The WMU baseball team (16-16 overall,5-7 Mid-American Conference) plays home and away doubleheaders with rival and MAC West Division leader Central Michigan (22-10, 7-3) this weekend. The Broncos host the Chippewas on Saturday (April 22) at 1 p.m. at Hyames Field and head to Mount Pleasant for a twinbill on Sunday (April 23).

Western Michigan owns a 66-51 career record against Central Michigan.

WMU enters its weekend series with Central Michigan trailing the Chippewas by three games. Ball State and Northern Illinois are tied for second with identical 5-5 league slates. WMU visits NIU April 29-30 and faces BSU May 6-7 in Muncie, Ind.

Baseball Bronco Notes

The countdown is 13 for Bronco skipper Fred Decker to total 700 wins for his collegiate coaching career, all of which has been at Western Michigan. WMU has 21 regular-season games remaining on their 2000 schedule.

2000 MAC Standings

MAC West    (Overall)  W L  Pct.
Central Mich. (22-10)  7-3 .700
Ball State    (17-15)  5-5 .500
Northern Ill. (16-16)  5-5 .500
WMU Broncos   (16-16)  5-7 .417
Toledo        (14-19)  3-9 .250
Eastern Mich. (12-25) 2-10 .125

MAC East    (Overall)  W L  Pct.
Kent           (25-8)  9 1 .900
BGSU        (18-13-1)  9 1 .900
Miami         (22-14)  7 5 .583
Ohio        (17-16-1)  7 5 .583
Akron         (16-18)  6 5 .545
Marshall      (12-21) 1 10 .091

In action this past weekend, WMU took three of four from cross-state rival Eastern Michigan Saturday and Sunday at Hyames Field.

WMU Broncos 5, Eastern Michigan 3 (Sunday, April 16)

The Broncos completed their first MAC doubleheader sweep of the season behind a complete game win by Matt Vriesenga, who scattered six hits in seven innings, struck out eight and did not walk one. After Eastern Michigan scored twice in the first, WMU scored four runs in its half of the inning. Tim Bellestri and Ryan Kochen singled to start the frame. John Toner singled to score Bellestri. James Galla's bases-loaded single scored two. He would later
score on a bases-loaded walk to Jason Richards. Galla added an RBI single in the fourth inning to seal the win.

WMU Broncos 3, Eastern Michigan 1 (Sunday, April 16)

WMU starter Kody Naylor turned in a very strong effort on the mound, fanning three and allowing just three hits in seven innings. Tim Bellestri and John Toner both went 2-3 at the plate. Toner, Ryan Kochen, and Jason Richards each knocked in one run. Kochen's sacrifice fly in the third inning scored Richards and tied the game at 1-1. WMU took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Joe Seestadt reached on an error and advanced to third on James Galla's double to left. After a walk to Greg Graham loaded the bases, Richards hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate Seestadt. Toner added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Kochen.

Eastern Michigan 7, WMU Broncos 3 (Saturday, April 15)

Western Michigan managed just five hits in the defeat. Sophomore Keith Perez took the loss, surrendering 10 hits in 4-2/3 innings. He fanned three and walked two. Shawn Morrison threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit while striking out one. Joe Seestadt was 2-2 and finished the doubleheader 4-4 at the plate. James Galla was 1-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Tim Bellestri and John Toner collected one hit apiece. Galla's second-inning triple plated Seestadt, who was hit by a pitch. Jason Richards brought Galla home with a sacrifice fly that made the score 3-2. The Eagles tacked on two runs in the third and three in the fifth to seal the win. Toner's two-out single in the bottom of the third inning scored Tim Bellestri and brought the Broncos within a run at 4-3, but WMU could get no closer.

WMU Broncos 9, Eastern Michigan 2 (Saturday, April 15)

Junior Angelo Palazeti went the distance to help WMU win the opener against EMU. The lefty scattered eight hits in seven innings, fanned one batter and issued one walk. John Toner, James Galla, and Greg Graham each knocked in a pair of runs in the win. Joe Seestadt was 2-2 with three runs scored and an RBI. Ryan Kochen collected two hits in four plate appearances and scored twice. Back-to-back doubles by Kochen and Toner keyed WMU's four-run first. Galla doubled in two runs and would later come around to score on a pickoff. Toner and Seestadt slugged consecutive home runs in the bottom of the third to extend the Broncos' lead to 6-2. Graham's two-out single in the bottom of the fifth plated Galla and Seestadt.

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


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