BROOKINGS, S.D. – Andrew Hagins hit two home runs in game two as Western Illinois split its season-ending doubleheader with South Dakota State, Saturday, May 22.
The Fighting Leathernecks (14-39, 6-21 Summit) dropped game one to the Jackrabbits (37-19, 19-9 Summit) 24-10 before picking up a 15-14 win in game two.
Western's season is now over as the team failed to qualify for The Summit League Tournament while South Dakota State will advance to the postseason tournament which begins next weekend in Tulsa, Okla. at Oral Roberts' J.L. Johnson Stadium.
Game One: SDSU 24, Western Illinois 10 (7 innings)
Western Illinois hit three home runs and each starter picked up a hit, but South Dakota State pounded out 24 hits en route to a 24-10 victory to pick up their third straight victory over Western.
The Leathernecks scored first when Jason Summers smacked a two-out solo homer to left center field to give Western a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
South Dakota State responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1 and would stretch the lead to 5-1 with two runs in the second.
Western took the lead back with a six-run third. The Leathernecks started the scoring with three-run homer off the bat of Cole Waddell to make it 5-4 before Bryan Jordan worked a bases loaded walk to tie the game at 5-5. A two-run single by Rich Mascheri in the next at bat would put Western ahead 7-5.
The Jackrabbits would bounce right back, scoring six runs of their own in the bottom of the third to take an 11-7 lead they would never surrender. South Dakota State would plate five runs in the fourth and eight runs in the fifth to push the lead to 24-7.
The Leathernecks would pick up two runs on a two-run homer from Andrew Hagins in the sixth before John Koszulinski singled home a run in the top of the seventh to make the final 24-10.
Mascheri (0-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing 10 runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings. He walked one and did not record a strikeout.
Austin Busse (1-1) picked up the win, allowing two runs on five hits in 3.1 innings of relief. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.
South Dakota State outhit Western 18-to-14, but each Leatherneck recorded at least one hit. Mascheri and Koszulinski each picked up three hits while Waddell was 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs. Summers and Anthony Kaskadden each scored twice and the Leathernecks drew five walks.
Game Two: Western Illinois 15, SDSU 14 (8 innings)
Western Illinois staged a late rally to pick up a 15-14 victory in extra innings in game two. Andrew Hagins hit two home runs in the victory, his second and third home runs of the day, to help give the Leathernecks a victory in their final game of the 2010 season.
Western jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead with back-to-back four run innings. Koszulinski got things started with a one-out RBI single in the first inning before Summers scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0. Waddell knocked an RBI double to left center and Chris Giglio hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.
The Leathernecks would continue their offensive onslaught when Jordan hit a two-run double down the left field line to push the lead to 6-0. Mascheri and Summers would each drive in a run to give Western an 8-0 lead after just two innings.
South Dakota State would creep back in to the contest with two runs in the second and single runs in the third and fourth to cut the deficit to 8-4, but a two run homer by Hagins in the fifth would push Western's lead to 10-4.
The Jackrabbits would storm back with six runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 10-10 and would take the lead with a single run in the sixth to make it 11-10.
Down by one and facing defeat in the final inning of their final game, the Leathernecks responded with four runs off of Jackrabbit closer Trevor Vermeulen to take a 14-11 lead.
Hagins led off the inning with a solo homer, his second of the game and third of the day, to tie the game at 11-11. After the next three batters reached base, Mascheri lined a two-run single to left center to give Western a 13-11 lead. Vermeulen would strike out the next batter before Koszlunski tacked on another run with an RBI single through the left side.
The Jackrabbits would rally in the bottom of the inning with a two-out, three-run homer to tie the game at 14-14 and send it to extra innings.
Kaskadden reached base with a one-out double before stealing third. Mascheri would drive in what would be the winning run with an RBI groundout in the next at-bat.
South Dakota State would get the first two batters of the eighth inning on base before Chris Duguay got the final three outs to pick up his first career victory.
Duguay (1-0) picked up the win, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits in 3.1 innings in relief. He struck out one and did not record a walk.
Alex Oberle (7-5) took the loss, allowing one run on one hit in one inning in relief. He walked two and did not record a strikeout.
Western outhit South Dakota State by a 20-to-13 margin and committed two errors to the Jackrabbits one. Mascheri led the Leathernecks by finishing 3-for-5 with four RBI. Hagins was 2-for-5 with three RBI while Jordan and Koszulinski each drove in two runs.
Seven Leathernecks recorded multiple hits and five players scored two or more runs, led by Kaskadden with three.
Summers ended the season on a 14-game hitting streak as Saturday's doubleheader brought the 2010 season to a close.
