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Western Illinois University Athletics

at Tennessee Tech
12
Western Illinois WIU 0-1
13
Winner Tennessee Tech TTU 1-0
Western Illinois WIU
0-1
12
Final
13
Tennessee Tech TTU
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 6 0 12 13 4
Tennessee Tech TTU 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 2 13 11 2

W: Godwin, Kyle (1-0) L: Michel, Aaron (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Lose on Walk-Off in Season Opener

Preston Church strikes out a career-high nine batters in the loss



COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Western Illinois' offense erupted for 12 runs in its season opener but Tennessee Tech scored nine of its 13 runs in the final three innings, including the final two on a walk-off single with two outs, and the Leathernecks dropped a 13-12 decision on Friday (Feb. 19).
 
The lead went back-and-forth for most of the game. Tech got on the board first on a grand slam by Kevin Strohschein in the first inning. After that, starter Preston Church settled in and started to dominate. The junior left-hander gave up a leadoff single in the second, then did not allow another hit until the seventh inning – retiring seven consecutive in one stretch.
 
While he kept the Golden Eagles in check, Western took the lead thanks to home runs in the third. Mark Garton launched a 3-run homer, then freshman Deion Thompson picked up his first collegiate hit with a 2-run home run to put WIU ahead 5-4.
 
Chris Tschida lined an RBI single in the sixth to make it 6-4.
 
Church set a career-high with his ninth strikeout in the seventh inning, but after giving up a single to load the bases he was pulled. Tech took the lead following a 4-run frame and eventual 8-6 advantage. Western surpassed that total in the eighth.
 
True-freshman Nick Schrader, who came in to pinch-hit, drilled a 2-run homer in the eighth. Later in the frame senior Erik Maki, who also came into pinch-hit, launched a 2-run homer to deep center field. Colton Pogue hit a sacrifice fly and Adam McGinnis lined an RBI double to give Western a 12-8 lead.
 
Tech scored three runs in its half of the eight, but Aaron Michel came in to get a pair of strikeouts with the bases loaded to end the threat and keep it at 12-11. In the ninth, Tech got a hit by pitch with one out, then Western got the second out on a slow grounder to second but was unable to turn a double play. Two batters later, Jake Rowland lined a shot that bounced over Thompson at second base for the walk-off single.
 
Church went 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs (five earned), two walks and his career-high nine strikeouts. Eight of Tech's 13 runs were unearned. Michel (0-1) gave up the two unearned runs on one hit with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.

"I thought Preston did a tremendous job for a first outing of the year. It didn't start obviously the way he wanted it to. He's matured a lot in three years, where he gave us a chance to win. That's all you can ask from your Friday guy, he held them down after that. He found his rhythm," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "Offensively we did a tremendous job of hanging in there. We strung a lot of quality at-bats together, which shows our guys are staying pitch-to-pitch. You knew with this group that we would have a good chance to score some runs up and down the lineup because we have guys with quite a bit of experience. We also have some new guys that are going to fill in very nicely with our returners. You have to play a little better on defense, and those are things we will clean up.

"We talked after the game we need to focus on the things that we're doing right and staying positive with that. The energy level was great… I think people are really going to like watching this team because we have a chance to get things going offensively, defensively and on the mound," stated Brownlee. "Aaron gave us a chance to win at the end, we had a bad hop at the end. He's so competitive, it was fun being able to watch him compete. You just realize how much you missed him last year when you watch him go out there and compete the way he does. Aaron is going to give you everything he's got on every pitch."

Tschida finished 3-for-6 with a double and triple. Garton hit his third career home run, driving in three runs. McGinnis added two hits. Thompson, Schrader and Maki each drove in two runs on a homer.
 
Kyle Godwin (1-0) picked up the win for Tech. Starter Jake Usher struck out six in 2.1 innings but gave up five runs on four hits. Strohschein drove in five runs while Rowland added three RBI.
 
The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday (Feb. 20), tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. Log onto GoLeathernecks.com for the latest game information or follow on Twitter (@WIUBaseball).
 
 
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