MACOMB, Ill. - Western
Illinois baseball (5-11) opened its home season and began a 13-game home stand
with Saint Louis (16-5) on Tuesday afternoon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. The
Billikens used a four-run eighth inning to win, 7-4, over the Fighting
Leathernecks.
Alexander Zarate started for Western Illinois and lasted 1
2/3 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and walked four batters. SLU
starter Damian Rivera lasted four innings and allowed two runs on two hits
while striking out three Leathernecks.
Chris Macek relieved Zarate and delivered a sharp relief
performance. He went four innings and allowed one run on five hits. Mason
Pingel and Tom Constand (0-1) both allowed two runs in the Billikens' big
eighth inning.
Austin Cowen and Matt Igara (2-for-3) both homered for the
Leathernecks, who collected five hits overall. Cowen's home run is his first of
the 2012 season while Igara now has three.
Zarate was wild early on and Saint Louis took advantage to
put a run on the scoreboard in the first inning. Steve Fernandez singled to
left field with two on and one out to score Marco DiRoma. Zarate walked one
more to load the bases but escaped the inning with a 6-4-3 double play.
SLU scored another run off Zarate in the second inning before
Macek took over on the mound. Danny Brennan singled to lead off and stole
second with one out. Mike Levine drove him home with a two-out RBI single down
the right field line. Levine stole second and DiRoma walked before Macek
induced a lineout to end the inning.
Western Illinois tied the game in the bottom of the fourth
thanks to Cowen's big bat. Ryan Cowhey walked to lead off and stole second before
Rich Mascheri flied out to right field. Cowen followed with a home run to deep
left center, his first of the 2012 season.
Levine produced another run in the sixth when he led off
with a double down the left field line. Fernandez singled through the left side
of the infield to score Levine two outs later. Pingel relieved Macek with two
on and escaped the inning with no more damage.
Igara led off the seventh inning with a long home run down
the left field line to tie the game at 3-3. Dan Dispensa was hit by a pitch and
advanced to third on two wild pitches. Dispensa trotted home on Danny
Marcuzzo's sacrifice fly to put Western up 4-3.
The Billikens responded quickly in the eighth inning as a
lead off walk scored on Fernandez's double down the left field line. Constand
took over for Pingel and allowed Fernandez to score on Grant Nelson's triple. Nelson
then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 6-4 Saint Louis lead.
Constand induced a lineout to left but walked Jon Corbitt
with two outs. C.J. Rose pinch hit for Matt Adamowicz and doubled down the left
field line to extend the SLU lead to four runs. Jon Levin (2-0), Steve Jensen
and Travis Parker (four saves) combined to throw 2 1/3 scoreless innings out of
the bullpen to secure the victory for the Billikens.
The Purple & Gold will continue the home stand with a
weekend three-game series with the Musketeers of Xavier, beginning on Friday at
3:30 p.m.
