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Western Illinois University Athletics

Dugout at Arkansas
2
Western Illinois WIU 2-9
3
Winner Arkansas ARKANSAS 11-3
Western Illinois WIU
2-9
2
Final
3
Arkansas ARKANSAS
11-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 4 2
Arkansas ARKANSAS 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 4 3

W: Zach Jackson (1-1) L: Pannell, Jordan (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Rally in Ninth but Lose in Extras

Preston Church goes six innings in the start, Western limits Arkansas to four hits.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Western Illinois staged a ninth inning rally to eventually send the game into extras, but a walk-off single by 14th-ranked Arkansas in the 10th inning was the clincher in a 3-2 decision Friday (March 11) at Baum Stadium.
 
Colton Pogue drew a leadoff walk in the ninth. He stole second, then scored when Mark Garton dropped down a sacrifice bunt in which the throw went down the right field line. Two more walks around a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases. However, closer Zach Jackson recorded back-to-back strikeouts on a called third strike to end the threat.
 
Chris Tschida singled to start the 10th, then stole second base with two outs. However, Jackson finished off striking out the side to again keep Western from taking the lead.
 
Arkansas put the leadoff hitter in the 10th on base with a hit by pitch. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position, then Cullen Gassaway delivered a RBI single off Aaron Michel, who just entered the game, to end the contest.
 
"It was a really good college baseball game. I thought we handled the environment extremely well, I didn't think we backed off at all," said head coach Ryan Brownlee.
 
Early in the game, Western could not capitalize on a couple of opportunities, a two-out walk in the second, then in the third with a two-out walk to Tschida and Adam McGinnis reaching on a throwing error to eventually put a pair of runners in scoring position.
 
Arkansas struck first in the fifth inning, drawing a one out walk then two batters later breaking up the no-hitter by Preston Church with a 2-run home run. Following a double during the next at-bat, Church got out of the jam with a strikeout.
 
The Razorbacks put two runners on in the sixth, but centerfielder Justin Fitzpatrick made two impressive catches – one near the fence and the other while charging in. In the seventh Colan Borchers stranded a runner at third base, then in the ninth after a two-out walk Jordan Pannell recorded a strikeout to end the frame.
 
Garton broke up Arkansas' (11-3 overall) no-hit bid with a seventh inning leadoff single. A hit-and-run by Connor Currier put runners on the corners, then a sacrifice bunt moved both Leathernecks into scoring position. Dave Dobrinich reached on a RBI fielder's choice, scoring Garton to make it 2-1.
 
Church gave up just two hits in 6.0 innings, walking three and striking out four. Pannell (0-1) did not allow a hit in 1.2 innings, walking one and striking out one. Fitzpatrick, Tschida, Garton and Currier accounted for the four hits – the same hit total allowed by the WIU pitchers.
 
"Preston (Church) did a tremendous job. He went toe-to-toe with (Dominic) Taccolini. Their starter is good, he pitches down and threw his breaking ball for strikes. Our at-bats were competitive, we barreled some balls up. Early we didn't have much to show for it but we stayed with it and executed the short game to put some pressure on them," said Brownlee. "We just have to finish that off. We had a great opportunity with the bases loaded and one out in a tie ballgame. That's where you have to stay with the approach we work on in practice and in the cages, and not get outside yourself. Young guys in those situations, they'll learn from that. When they give you a chance to score some runs you have to take advantage of it. We're right there… the door is open we just have to kick it in and get after it."
 
Dominic Taccolini allowed one run on two hits in 7.0 innings, striking out nine batters. Jackson (1-1) gave up the unearned run in 3.0 innings of work, fanning five to three walks.
 
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon (March 12), at 2 p.m.
 
 
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