TULSA, Okla. - Western Illinois baseball (12-24-1, 3-9) took the lead in the third inning with four runs but was unable to hold Oral Roberts (21-18, 8-3) and its potent offense in check Sunday (April 22) as the Golden Eagles took the series finale, 16-6.

Leatherneck starter Dustin Hunter (3-3) took the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) on five hits and five walks over four innings. Hunter struck out four Golden Eagles and owns a team-high 75 strikeouts over 56.2 innings this season. Seth Fuller, Gabe Long and Chris Macek also saw action on the mound for Western Illinois.

Ryan Cowhey (1-for-3) led the Western Illinois offense with an RBI single, run scored, walk and stolen base. Cowhey is 21-for-21 in stolen base attempts this season. Manny Reyes (1-for-3) drove in two runs on a double in the sixth inning while Steve Kedroski (1-for-3) collected an RBI in Western's four-run third.

Austin Cowen (1-for-4), Matt Igara (1-for-3), Dan Dispensa and Vince Howard all scored a run for the Fighting Leathernecks. With a single in the sixth inning, Igara extended his reached base streak to ten games.  

The Golden Eagles struck first for the fourth straight game in the first inning, powered by an RBI-single from Jared Schlehuber into right. On the play, a relay throw got away from the Leatherneck defense allowing a second run to score.

ORU starter Drew Bowen began the game by retiring the first eight Western Illinois batters. Howard wore one in the third to become the first baserunner of the game for Western. Cowhey singled to center to plate Howard to end the 17-inning scoreless streak.

A Golden Eagle error allowed Cowhey to score from third on a Dispensa infield fly to tie the game at 2-2. Cowen continued the inning with a single through the right side. Bowen hit his second batter of the inning, allowing Igara to reach. A third hit batter and a wild pitch allowed two more runs to cross, giving Western a 4-2 lead.

ORU attempted to stage a rally in its half of the third inning. With runners at the corners and one out, Hunter picked off Cam Schiller at first and struck out Jose Trevino to end the threat.

However, ORU regained the lead in the fourth, 5-3, with three runs on two hits, two Leatherneck errors and two bases-loaded walks. Fuller replaced Hunter in the fifth after Hunter drilled back-to-back Golden Eagles to begin the inning. Bennett Pickar extended the ORU lead to 7-4 on a two-run single back up the middle.

Western put runners on the corners to begin the sixth inning after two singles and an error. Reyes laced an RBI-double down the left field line to plate two and bring the Leathernecks within one at 7-6.

The Golden Eagles extended their lead, 8-6, with a run in the sixth on a Leatherneck error. In the Western Illinois half of the sixth, Cowhey walked and advanced to third on a passed ball and stolen base. A 5-3-2 double play negated the threat and sent the game to the bottom of the seventh.

ORU added eight more runs in the final two innings to end the game early via The Summit League rule. Dan Martony (4-0) was awarded the win after allowing two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.

The Fighting Leathernecks return to action Tuesday (April 24) with a game against Eastern Illinois. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. from Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.

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