TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -Western Illinois baseball traveled to Terre Haute, Ind. for the weekend and squared off against Indiana State on Friday afternoon. The Leathernecks allowed the Sycamores to score in the first five innings and eventually lost 7-3. Western Illinois falls to 1-11 on the season while Indiana State will move to 6-5 in 2011.
Ryan Wachholder drew the start for the Leathernecks and he was welcomed to Bob Warn Field with a one run in the first and second innings.
Western was able to push one across in the third inning. Dan Dispensa was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Dispensa then swiped second and Matt Igara followed with a single to drive in Dispensa.
The Sycamores added two more in the third and fourth innings and one in the fifth for good measure.
Through six innings, Indiana State was up on Western Illinois 7-1.
John Koszulinski started the seventh inning off with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Sycamore third baseman. Danny Marcuzzo singled but was eventually picked off of second base for the second out of the inning. Koszulinski scored on a wild pitch for the lone run of the inning.
Igara collected his first long fly of the season in the eighth inning to pull the Leathernecks within four runs.That would be as close as Western would get after being set down in order in the final inning to end the game.
Ryan Waccholder was saddled with the loss to fall to 0-3 on the season. Wachholder went 2.2 innings and gave up four runs, three of them earned while walking two and striking out two Sycamore hitters. Beau Below appeared in relief and went 4.1 innings and gave up three earned runs. Garret Bolt tossed the final inning and did not give up a hit.
Colin Rea went 7.0 strong innings and had seven strikeouts to his credit. Rea improves to 3-1 on the season. Tyler Pazik was called from the bullpen and only face three batters in his 0.1 of an inning. Chris Machado threw the final 1.2 innings and did not allow a hit.
Igara was the offense on Friday afternoon as he went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. Dispensa, Tom Lilja, Koszulinski and Marcuzzo all added a hit to the cause.
Koby Kraemer and Jeremy Lucas both drove in two runs while Tyler Wampler added three hits.
Western Illinois will return to action on Saturday to face the Broncos of Western Michigan at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CST).
The broadcast on Rocky Vision will get underway at 10:45 a.m.
