STILLWATER, Okla. -
Western Illinois had the go-ahead run at the plate in the ninth inning but the
rally fell short as the Leathernecks dropped a 6-3 decision at Oklahoma State
Wednesday afternoon (March 17). Western (4-8 overall) dropped its fifth
straight game.
Down by five heading into the ninth inning Cole Waddell drew a leadoff
walk then Curt Myers singled. Following the Cowboys (10-2) pitching
change, pinch-hitter John Koszulinski walked to load the bases.
Two
batters later Tom Lilja walked to bring home a run. Dan Dispensa lined
a RBI single as Western brought the go-ahead run to the plate with only one out.
However, Matt Peck got out of the jam and secured the win thanks to a flyball
and groundout.
The Leathernecks got off to a quick start in the first inning. Lilja hit a
ground-rule double, Dispensa reached on a bunt single then two batters later Bryan Jordan drove home a run on a RBI single. OSU quickly responded.
Chris Macek ran into trouble when he allowed
two singles and a walk to start the frame. Mark Ginther followed by clearing
the bases on a double to left field. He scored on a RBI single for a 4-1 lead.
Oklahoma State added a solo homer in the second and a RBI double in the sixth.
Early on
Western put a runner in scoring position in the second and third inning but
could not capitalize.
Dispensa recorded three of Western's eight hits, a season-high total for the
freshman centerfielder. Lilja recorded a hit, walked twice, scored a run and
drove in one.
Macek
(1-2) allowed five runs on 10 hits in five innings. He walked two and struck
out one. Austin Brough pitched well in relief, giving up one run on a
hit in three innings while striking out two.
Tom
Belza and Davis Duren had three hits apiece for Oklahoma State. Mike Strong
(2-0) allowed one run on six hits in seven innings of work, striking out eight.
Western
continues its spring break trip this weekend, traveling to Birmingham, Alabama.
The Leathernecks begin a three-game series at UAB on Friday night (March 19),
first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
