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MBA_Iowa1_FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
5
Iowa IOWA 18-7
16
Winner Western Illinois WIU 8-15
Iowa IOWA
18-7
5
Final
16
Western Illinois WIU
8-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Iowa IOWA 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 5 9 2
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 7 5 0 4 16 13 0

W: Borchers, Colan (1-0) L: Martsching, Josh (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leatherneck Baseball Takes Down No. 24 Iowa 16-5

Colton Pogue hit his first career grand slam to end the game after eight innings on Wednesday (April 1).

MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois freshman second baseman Colton Pogue hit his first career grand slam as the Leathernecks toppled the No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes, 16-5, on Wednesday (April 1) in front of a packed crowd at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. 

The Purple and Gold used a seven-run fifth, five-run sixth, and four-run eighth to end the non-Summit League game after eight innings and improve to 8-15 (4-5) on the season. A three-run home run from Adam McGinnis also highlighted the win, marking Western's first victory over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 1 Arkansas on February 17, 2013. 

"I want to give a huge shoutout to our awesome crowd here at home for showing up today. Having them here really changed the game. Seeing the Peach Blossoms out at their first game and all the other students was just awesome," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "Up until now we haven't been swinging the bats well and regardless of who you're playing that's a good win because we played all three phases. We pitched, we played defense, and we swung it. Coming into the year this what I thought we would look like. It has taken us a bit to get going and at the beginning of the year I was frustrated because I knew this type of performance was in there it just hadn't come out yet. Hopefully we can take the ball and roll with this."

Both teams worked two scoreless innings before Iowa started things off with one run in the top of the third. A two-run home run in the fourth and a pair of runs in the fifth gave the Hawkeyes a comfortable 5-0 lead, but that would be all the scoring to be had for Iowa.

In the bottom of the fifth McGinnis took a pitch off the helmet to lead the inning off, but quickly brushed it off and scored on a double from Pogue to right-center field. The quick run forced a pitching change for the Hawkeyes, but that did not prove to be the answer as Pogue advanced to third on a wild pitch from the new hurler. 

Mark Garton and Brent Turner drew walks to load the bases, and Jake Moore looped a two-out single to right field to drive in two. A passed ball put Moore on second and scored Turner from third to cut the Hawkeye lead to one. Then, an RBI-single up the middle from Chris Tschida tied the game at five. Iowa would go to the bullpen again, but find no answer.

Tschida proceeded to steal second and JJ Reimer drew a walk to continue the rally. McGinnis came to bat for his second time in the inning and smacked a two-out single to score Tschida. Pogue's second double of the inning scored Reimer and gave the Leathernecks a 7-5 lead before the Hawkeyes could stop the bleeding.

Tom Constand worked a quick sixth inning and Western's bats went back to work again. 

A leadoff double from Turner with walks from Roman Visintine and Tschida loaded the bases with two outs. Reimer worked the count full and then jammed a ball at the shortstop for a base hit and subsequent throwing error that scored two more for the Purple and Gold. McGinnis's two-out three-run bomb capped off a five-run sixth inning.

Nick Milligan mowed down three straight Hawkeyes in the seventh, and Jordan Pannell came on to retire the eighth inning. Back-to-back singles from Payton Jeffers and Moore set the table in the bottom of the eighth, and a McGinnis walk loaded the bases. With two outs, Pogue stepped to the plate and lofted his first career grand slam over the outfield fence to end the game.

Colan Borchers was credited with the win while J.T. Baksha avoided the loss in his second career start. The Leatherneck staff used seven pitchers to combine for five runs on nine hits, just three walks and eight strikeouts. 

At the plate, Pogue's six RBI are the most for a Western player since the 2010. The freshman's grand slam is the first for a Leatherneck since McGinnis launched one against Fort Wayne on April 13, 2014.  Visintine notched his first career double while Turner added his fifth double of the season as well. Every Western player who appeared at the plate reached base safely at least once as the Purple and Gold tallied 13 hits and seven walks in the 16-run affair.

Western Illinois hits the road for its next action, traveling to Omaha for a three-game Summit League series starting this Friday (April 3) at 1 p.m. Due to available facilities, live audio will not be available for the weekend series. Fans can follow updates on Twitter at @WIU_Baseball and at GoLeathernecks.com.
 
 
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