Baseball falls in home opener to Western Mich.

On Friday, the UT baseball team lost by a score of 6-3 in its home opener to the Western Michigan Broncos.

The loss drops the Rockets’ record to 9-14 on the season.

Fourth-year WMU pitcher Chris Modrzynski was credited with the win. Fourth-year Rocket pitcher Michael Jacob earned the loss and first-year pitcher Dane Ambrustmacher notched the save for the Broncos.

Jacob threw eight innings and came out for the top of the ninth, while third-year pitcher Austin Calopietro finished the ninth inning in relief for UT. 

Third-year catcher Michael Ryan blasted his third home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth and second-year infielder Chris Meyers drove in the other run for the Rockets.

The second inning resulted in a Bronco surge, as WMU plated four runs. An RBI single to right field was followed up by a three-run home run to left field that gave the Broncos a 4-0 lead. 

The first three batters of the inning earned hits, and a sacrifice bunt proved unnecessary as the runners scored on the home run one batter later.

Meyers singled in fourth-year utility man Brad Boss in the bottom of the third to make the score 4-1. Boss reached on a bunt single, then advanced to second on a throwing error. 

Another error caused Boss to be able to move over to third base after. He then scored on the base hit by Meyers.

After allowing a one-out double in the top of the fourth, Jacob was lights out, retiring eight straight batters.

Ryan’s blast came in the bottom of the sixth and made the score 4-3. First-year infielder Darryn Davis reached base on a single up the middle, and then rounded the bases on the home run.

The Broncos added a couple of insurance runs in the top of the ninth. An RBI doubled down the foul line in right field and a base hit through the right side of the infield, allowing two runners to score and make it 6-3.

Two more games between the Rockets and Broncos were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday game was originally rescheduled for a doubleheader on Sunday, but both games were canceled due to inclement weather.

The two teams will not make up the canceled games.

The Rockets will be back in action to take on the Michigan Wolverines at 4 p.m. April 3 at Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor, MI.