SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Western Illinois jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the finale and held off a late Missouri State rally to capture the series finale 9-8 on Sunday afternoon and Hammons Field. The Leathernecks (3-15 overall) lost the conclusion of game two 5-2 before taking game three of the weekend series.
GAME 2
Western tied the game at 1-all after the fourth inning but in a suspended game at 4-1 Missouri State, the Leathernecks could not complete the comeback on Sunday.
Chris Giglio recorded three hits, one of five Leathernecks with a multi-hit game, as Western out-hit Missouri State 12-10. However, the Bears plated two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to pull away for good.
Bryan Jordan lined a RBI double in the fourth then John Koszulinski homered in the eighth in the defeat. In the ninth Western tried to stage a two-out rally. Austin Cowen walked then Tom Lilja followed with a double down the line but Dan Kickham got a flyball off the bat of Jordan to right field ending the game.
Dan Russell (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, striking out seven batters in five innings of work. He gave up three runs on four hits. Brian Loconsole went one-third of an inning followed by Chris Fuchs' 2.2 innings of work. The senior right-hander struck out three and walked three to finish out the game.
Clay Murphy (3-2) earned the win in relief, allowing one run in four innings of work. He walked two and struck out five. Starter Blake Barber gave up a run on seven hits in four innings. Kickham earned his second save.
GAME 3
Matt Igara started off the third inning with a home run, then Dan Dispensa lined a 2-run single later in the frame for a 3-0 lead.
Cowen lined a 2-run single in the fourth. Jake Moore lifted a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the fifth. Dispensa would score on an error by the second baseman Kevin Medrano then Igara brought home another run on a RBI double for an 8-0 lead.
The Bears (11-9) finally got to starter Zach Sterling in the seventh, allowing three runs in the frame. Garrett Bolt got an out in the seventh then Gabe Long got out of the inning with a lineout and strikeout. Igara drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning and eventually scored when Jordan followed with a RBI double for a 9-3 lead. However, Long and the Leathernecks ran into problems in the home eighth.
Long got the first two outs but Missouri State used two singles and a walk to load the bases. Broc Chaffin lined a 2-run single, which prompted head coach Mike Villano to bring in Alexander Zarate. After hitting a batter to reload the bases, Zarate gave up a bases clearing double to Travis McComack making it 9-8.
Beau Below entered and got a strikeout to end the threat in the eighth. The senior worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his first save of the season.
Sterling (1-1) picked up his first win as a Leatherneck, allowing three runs on nine hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out two.
"We are still working Sterling into the rotation. I thought he was better than the stats show today," said Villano.
Dispensa finished with four hits and two RBI. Igara and Jordan had two hits apiece. Igara scored three times from the leadoff position and also drove in two runs.
The Bears had five players with at least two hits, holding a 14-12 edge in the hits. Pierce Johnson (2-2) was charged for five runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. He walked five and struck out four.
"We are growing as a team and we will start to win more of these close games," said Villano. "I think we match up well with Iowa and it will sure be nice to play at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium (Sunday).
Western is off until a three-game series against Iowa, starting Friday night (March 25). The Leathernecks play in Iowa City Friday night and Saturday afternoon, before playing host to the Hawkeyes on Sunday in the home opener at Boyer Stadium.
