JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Western Illinois baseball dropped two games to Butler Sunday (March 23) in the weekend doubleheader finale between the two teams. The Bulldogs (9-13) took game one 10-5 and game two 2-0 over the Fighting Leathernecks (2-15).

Game 1: Butler 10, Western Illinois 5

The Bulldogs notched 13 hits in the opener and were able to jump out to the early lead in the top half of the first inning on Leatherneck starter Tyler Willman (1-2). BU recorded two hits in the first to take the 1-0 lead.  

Westen had an answer in the second inning, scoring twice to go on top 2-1. Tanner Glore and Jake Moore led off the inning with back-to-back walks for the Purple & Gold and both came around to eventually score.

Butler did not let the lead last for long however, scoring five runs in the third to regain the lead and go ahead for good. The Bulldogs recorded five hits in the frame to go back on top.

After a two-run top of the fourth inning for Butler, the Leathernecks put their third run across in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 8-3. Adam McGinnis reached on an error and moved to third on a Brent Turner bunt single. McGinnis later scored on a Chris Tschida sacrifice fly.

Neither team crossed the plate in the fifth inning before Western added a pair of runs in the sixth. Western took advantage of a fielding error from Butler, and Moore recorded a single in the inning. Tschida notched his second RBI of the game for WIU in the inning marking the second game in a row the freshman had multiple RBIs.

Butler extended their lead in the top of the seventh with two more runs to make the score 10-5. The seven-inning contest was the first win for the Bulldogs over the Leathernecks in series history.

Willman recorded his second loss after throwing 2.2 innings with three strikeouts and five earned runs allowed. Tyler Owings (1.1) and Nick Bakeris (3.0) also appeared on the mound for WIU.

At the plate four Leathernecks recorded hits, while Glore and Moore each scored twice. The two runs scored are a new career high for Glore.

Game 2: Butler 2, Western Illinois 0

Game two of the doubleheader saw a pitching duel between Leatherneck starter Tom Constand (0-4) and Butler's Jeff Schank (1-0). Constand threw a season-best 8.0 innings in the loss with five strikeouts and just two runs allowed for WIU.

Schank threw 6.0 innings for BU with seven hits allowed but did not allow a run in his first career victory.

Butler struck first in the second inning to take the lead that would hold for the duration of the contest. Quincy Quintero led off the inning with a double and scored on a Ryan Wojciechowski single.

The next five innings were scoreless for the two teams with a combined seven hits, all of which came from Western. Butler managed a single in the eighth inning and capitalized on a wild pitch to score their second and final run of the contest.

Zack Burling matched his season-high with three hits in game two, while Travis Stafford notched a career-best two doubles for WIU.

The Leathernecks ended the game with 11 runners left on base compared to four from Butler. WIU out-hit the Bulldogs 9-5 in the weekend finale.

Western opens conference play this coming Friday (March 28) as South Dakota State visits Macomb for a doubleheader. First pitch in game one is set for 1 p.m. at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.

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