Loss to Western Michigan sends Bowling Green to MAC baseball elimination bracket

AVON, Ohio — A three-run first inning set the tone for second-seeded Western Michigan’s 11-0 victory over No. 1 seed Bowling Green State University in the final winners’ bracket game Friday at the Mid-American Conference baseball tournament.

With the loss, Bowling Green (33-19) is sent to Saturday’s 12:30 pm. elimination game against third-seeded Ball State. That winner will face Western Michigan at 6 p.m. Saturday in the first of a potential two championship games.

A second championship game, should the Bowling Green-Ball State winner defeat Western Michigan, is scheduled for noon Sunday.

Western Michigan (31-21) hammered Bowling Green starting pitcher Landon Willeman. He yielded four straight singles, a walk, and a run-producing wild pitch before retiring his first batter, allowing the Broncos to take a 3-0 lead.

(Video credit: Mid-American Conference)

Willeman (3-3) settled down after that, lasting 3⅔ innings while allowing the three first-inning runs on six hits. But Bowling Green’s offense was shut down by Western Michigan starter Nolan Vlcek, who scattered three hits through seven innings while striking out 10 and walking none in improving to 5-3.

Turner Doran pitched the final two innings for Western Michigan, with the only blemish a hit batter in the eighth.

The Broncos blew the game open in the sixth with a five-run inning. Dylan Nevar had a two-run single, while CJ Richmond connected on a two-run home run.

Western Michigan added three more runs in the ninth, with Cade Sullivan hitting a two-run double and Nevar adding an RBI single.

Bowling Green is looking for its first MAC baseball tournament title since 2013. Western Michigan most recently won in 2016, while Ball State is looking to repeat.