KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Senior center fielder Jackson Kitchen went 5-for-5 and became the first player in program history to hit for the cycle in Western Michigan's 15-5 series-opening win over Northern Illinois on Friday. The victory sealed WMU's place in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament, which will make it eight appearances in the last 12 MAC Tournaments for the Brown and Gold.
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 15, Northern Illinois 5
LOCATION: Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (26-19, 16-9 MAC) | NIU (17-32, 10-15)
W: Brady Miller (4-5) | L: Ty Brachbill (5-7)
Kitchen's career-high five hits came via a double in the first, a three-run homer in the third, a single in the fifth, a triple in the sixth to complete Western Michigan's first-ever cycle, and a solo home run to cap it all off in the eighth.