Box Score MACOMB, Ill. - Fighting Leatherneck baseball fell to Illinois-Springfield Wednesday (April 9) in a midweek nonconference game at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. The Prairie Stars jumped out to an early lead and came out on top 17-10 in the first ever meeting between the two teams.
“We didn't give ourselves a chance on the mound today. These are always the scariest games to play because you don't know how guys are going to handle it mentally, it doesn't matter what level you play,” said head coach Ryan Brownlee. “It was our first midweek game of the year and we weren't ready in the beginning of the game offensively or on the mound. After they took their big lead we didn't really give ourselves a chance.”
The Leathernecks used a season-high 11 pitchers on the mound with John White (0-2) getting the start and taking the loss after throwing the first inning with three runs allowed. Preston Church and Nick Milligan each threw 1.1 innings, which was the most for any WIU pitcher.
The Prairie Stars' Kyle Schildroth (3-1) started the game and notched the win after throwing the first three innings with a strikeout and earned run allowed. UIS threw six pitchers in total.
At the plate 15 different Leathernecks recorded an at-bat with five Western players recording multiple hits. Zack Burling, Erik Maki and Chris Tschida all recorded two RBIs, while Neil DeCook scored twice for the Purple & Gold.
UIS jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top half of the first inning after recording four hits to start the game. After a scoreless second the Prairie Stars added six more runs in the third on six hits and one WIU error to go on top 9-0.
Western answered with a run in the bottom of the third after Burling crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Neither team scored in the fourth before UIS scored four more times in the fifth to take a 13-1 lead.
The Leatherneck bats came alive in the sixth inning as WIU scored five runs on five hits to cut into the lead. UIS answered with four more runs in the seventh inning to increase their advantage.
The Purple & Gold scored once more in the seventh and three more runs in the eighth to make the score 17-10, which would be the final.
The teams combined for 37 total hits in the midweek game. Western falls to 6-18 overall after the loss, while UIS improves to 18-12 on the year.
Western will be back in action this Saturday (April 12) and Sunday as the Leathernecks travel to Fort Wayne, Ind. for a pair of doubleheaders against the Mastodons. First pitch Saturday is set for 1 p.m., while first pitch Sunday will be at 11 a.m.
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