FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Fighting Leatherneck baseball saw an offensive explosion in its doubleheader sweep over IPFW Sunday (April 13) at Mastodon Field in Fort Wayne. The Leathernecks took game one, 21-14, and the weekend finale, 11-9, to improve to 9-19 overall on the season. Both games were seven-inning affairs and both counted as nonconference contests.

Game 1: Western Illinois 21, Fort Wayne 14

The doubleheader opener was a slugfest with both teams combining for 35 runs and 36 total hits in the seven-inning game. Western scored its most runs since notching 24 against Medaille College on March 14, 2009.

At the plate Neil DeCook went 3-for-4 with career-highs in both runs scored (3) and RBIs (4). Travis Stafford was 3-for-3 at the plate, while Jake Moore posted a career-best four RBIs for the Purple & Gold. Adam McGinnis added a season-best five RBIs for WIU.

The Leathernecks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Zack Burling and Jameson Henning hit back-to-back singles and came around to score on a DeCook two RBI single.

Western added another two runs in the second after three more hits and a Fort Wayne error to extend their lead to 4-0. IPFW responded with their first two runs in the bottom of the second to make the score 4-2.

WIU's offensive then exploded in the third and fourth innings, scoring five runs in the third and nine in the fourth to make the score 18-2. In the third the Leathernecks notched three hits, including solo home runs from both Brent Turner and Travis Stafford. Both home runs were the first of each player's respective career.

The nine runs in the fourth inning are the most for WIU in a single inning this season. The Leathernecks recorded five hits in the inning, highlighted by a grand slam by McGinnis over the left field wall. McGinnis' grand slam is the first for WIU since current student assistant Steve Kedroski hit a grand slam on April 10, 2012 at Iowa.

IPFW scored six runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, but Western added three more in the fifth after Payton Jeffers, DeCook, Chris Tschida and McGinnis all hit doubles in the frame.

In total the Leathernecks recorded season-highs in runs (21), hits (20), RBIs (20), doubles (4), home runs (3), total bases (33) and walks (9) during the seven-run victory.

On the mound Robbie Nunn (1-1) recorded his first career win after throwing 3.0 innings with three strikeouts and one run allowed.

Game 2: Western Illinois 11, Fort Wayne 9

The weekend finale was another seven-inning contest that saw the Leathernecks jump out an early lead and hold off a late IPFW comeback attempt to get the victory.

Western took a lead in the first inning that lasted the duration of the game. Erik Maki singled in the frame and scored on a Tschida RBI single to put WIU on top.

In the second the Purple & Gold added four more runs to go up 5-0. Western started the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles before Matt Risdon hit a bases-clearing double to the wall in center field. The three RBI double was the fourth of Risdon's career.

After a scoreless third, IPFW put four runs across in the fourth inning to make it a one-run game. The Mastodons recorded five hits in the inning, including a two-run home run from Shane Trevino to get within one run.

The Leathernecks answered with three more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 8-4. A pair of singles, wild pitch and triple from JJ Reimer contributed to the three WIU runs. The Reimer triple was the first of his Leatherneck career.

IPFW added one more run in the fifth and two in the sixth to again make it a one-run game. Western then added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to make the score 11-7. Stafford notched a ground rule double in the inning to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games.

In the bottom of the seventh the Mastodons recorded three straight singles and threatened the Leatherneck lead. Tyler Owings was called out of the bullpen and got out of the jam with a groundout and strikeout to earn his first career save and give WIU the win.

Tschida finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored. Four other Leathernecks recorded multiple hits in the game and a total of four Leathernecks scored twice in the weekend finale.

Tom Constand (1-5) earned his first win of the season on the mound after throwing 1.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts and two hits allowed.

Western will be back in action this Tuesday (April 15) for a midweek game against Iowa. The Leathernecks and Hawkeyes meet in Iowa City, Iowa beginning at 6:35 p.m.

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