FARGO, N.D. – Fighting Leatherneck baseball split its doubleheader with North Dakota State Saturday (April 19), winning game one 6-5 before falling in the finale 4-2. The Leathernecks are now 11-21 overall and 6-5 in league play, while the Bison are 10-17 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

Game 1: Western Illinois 6, North Dakota State 5

The Leathernecks used a late-inning comeback in the opener to pick up their third win over NDSU this season. The game was scheduled for seven-innings but needed an extra inning to be decided.

Adam McGinnis recorded a season-best three hits in the victory with a pair of runs scored. Tanner Glore and Neil DeCook notched two RBIs each to lead the Purple & Gold. 

The Bison struck first in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. NDSU capitalized on a hit batter and posted one hit in the inning to go on top.

The Leathernecks took the lead in the third after recording three runs on four hits. After McGinnis hit a single up the middle Travis Stafford hit his fourth double of the season to put two in scoring position. Jameson Henning then hit an RBI single two batters later and DeCook followed with a two RBI single to put WIU up 3-1.

After the Bison put a run across in the bottom of the third the Leathernecks added their fourth run in the top of the fourth. Chris Tschida singled, stole second and scored on a McGinnis single for the WIU run.

NDSU answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 4-4. The Bison then added another run in the fifth to take their second lead of the game.

Western tied the game in the seventh with an RBI single from Glore to send the game to extra innings. In the eighth Stafford hit an RBI single to score Tschida and put WIU up 6-5.

Tyler Owings came in to pitch in the bottom of the eighth and got the Bison out in order to earn his second save of the season. Tyler Willman (3-2) picked up the win after throwing 7.0 innings with a season-best eight strikeouts.

Game 2: North Dakota State 4, Western Illinois 2

Game two of the twinbill was a seven-inning affair in which the Bison took an early lead and were able to hold on for their second league victory of the season.

NDSU scored first in the bottom of the second inning to go up 1-0. The Bison notched a pair of hits and put their run across on a wild pitch. In the third North Dakota State scored its second run on a Ben Petersen RBI double to go on top 2-0.

The Leathernecks cut into the lead in the fourth to make the score 2-1. Henning singled to lead off the inning and scored on a McGinnis sacrifice fly.

After another Bison run in the bottom of the fourth, Western scored again in the fifth after Zack Burling hit his second double of the season down the left field line to score Nathan Pollock from first.

The Bison managed their final run in the sixth and held the Leathernecks scoreless for the final two innings to earn the victory.

John White (0-3) recorded the loss after throwing 4.0 innings with a strikeout and three runs allowed.

Henning and JJ Reimer each recorded two hits in the game for the Leathernecks at the plate.

Western concludes its weekend series against NDSU Sunday (April 19) with a 1 p.m. first pitch. Tom Constand is slated to start for the Purple & Gold on the mound in the finale.

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