SHREVEPORT, La. - Jason Summers hit a grand slam, part of
his career-high matching six RBI, and for the second straight day Western
Illinois 10-runned an opponent defeating Summit League-leading Centenary 18-7
Monday night. The Leathernecks improved to 13-34 and 5-16 in the league.
The series was rescheduled to Monday-Tuesday (May 17-18) from its original date
10 days ago due to the passing of WIU pitcher Devin VanBrooker. The Leathernecks
kept the hot bats going. On Sunday, Western exploded late for a 12-2 home win
over Southern Utah in seven innings, and now has scored 10-plus runs for the
third time in the last four games.
In the second inning, Jared Depenbrock drew a bases loaded walk then Bryan
Jordan lined a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. After Rich Mascheri drew the first
of his four walks on the night, Summers - the reigning Summit League 'Player of the Week' - lined a bases loaded shot to
straight-away centerfield for his first slam of the season.
Centenary (24-22, 13-7) scored a run in its half of the inning but WIU scored
twice more in the fourth on a wild pitch and John Koszulinski's bases loaded
walk.
A 5-run fifth inning for Western occurred when Mascheri reached on a RBI
infield single. Summers ripped a 2-run single then Koszulinski added a RBI
single. Cole Waddell beat out a double play ball to score another run and 13-4
lead.
The Gents got two of those runs back in the fifth, but the Leathernecks broke
the game open with another 5-run frame in the seventh. Jordan hit his team-leading
ninth home run, a one-out solo shot. Koszulinski lined a RBI single. Summers
scored on a throwing error by the pitcher, then in consecutive at-bats Tom
Lilja and Chris Giglio was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
David Hill entered the game in the sixth in relief of John Sneegas on a 3-0
count against Michael Thompkins and a runner on base with no one out. Hill battled
back to induce a 3-6 ground ball double play, then struck out Alex Todd to end
the threat. He gave up a two-out walk in the seventh but closed the door on a
strikeout of Keegan Acker, the third time Centenary's leadoff hitter fanned in
the game.
"I was really proud of the way our team responded tonight. They did not show
any letdown following yesterday's (home finale) win over Southern Utah, even
after the 14-hour bus ride," said head coach Mike Villano. "Offensively we stayed
patient at the plate and did a great job taking advantage of their mistakes."
Summers extended his hitting streak to eight games, all multi-hit contests,
going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. The senior first baseman also recorded
six RBI on a 3-for-4 day against Coe College. Mascheri walked four times and
scored four runs. Koszulinski went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Giglio also recorded
three hits and scored three runs. Western out-hit Centenary 12-9 and drew 10 walks in the game.
Hill (1-3) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn his first win of the
year. WIU starter Travis Pedersen was charged for four runs on six hits in
three innings of work.
Justin Kraft (3-5) suffered the loss having allowed eight
runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. He walked four and struck out six. Scott
Paskett drove in two runs on three hits, including a solo homer in the sixth.
The three-game series will conclude on Tuesday afternoon
(May 18), a doubleheader starting at 12 noon.
