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Western Opens Summit League Play at Home

Leathernecks play host to North Dakota State for a three game series.

#WIUGAMEDAY INFORMATION
 

North Dakota State Bison (9-6, 0-0)
at
Western Illinois Leathernecks (2-13, 0-0)

WHEN AND WHERE:
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
Zach Mayo (Jr, LHP) vs. Preston Church (Jr, LHP)

SATURDAY, MARCH 19
Alex Rogers (Jr, RHP) vs. Joe Mortillaro (Sr, RHP)

SUNDAY, MARCH 20
Reed Pfannenstein (Jr, RHP) vs. Ian Koch (Fr, RHP)

Macomb, Illinois
Alfred D. Boyer Stadium

GAME NOTES:
Leatherneck Baseball

Bison Baseball

LIVE AUDIO:
WRMSFM.com (Fri & Sat)
TuneIn Radio App - search WRMS-FM (Fri & Sat)
Leatherneck All-Access (Sun)

LIVE VIDEO:
Leatherneck All-Access
         
    
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE
     
 
TWITTER:
@WIUBaseball
@WIUAthletics

         
INSTAGRAM:
Western Illinois Athletics
         
        
LIVE STATS:
GoLeathernecks.com


SOCIAL STADIUM:
#W1U Social Stadium (through SIDEARM Sports)
        
    
PRESEASON INFORMATION
     
      
2016 Preseason Quick Facts (.PDF)
2016 Schedule Release
2016 Roster
2016 Record Book
           
MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois baseball will begin its second season this weekend, opening Summit League play versus North Dakota State. The Fighting Leathernecks' three-game series begins Friday afternoon (March 18) at 3 p.m. with 1 o'clock starts on Saturday and Sunday.
 
The weekend series against the Bison also marks the start of play at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium following a 15-game stretch away from home to begin the 2016 campaign.
 
Western (2-13 overall) is coming off a spring break trip with five games against a nationally-ranked opponent – losing three at 14th-ranked Arkansas and dropping two at #12 Missouri State.
 
SCOUTING THE BISON: North Dakota State brings a 9-6 record into this weekend… NDSU swept a three-game series at Arkansas-Pine Bluff then took 3-of-4 at Lamar. Following an eight-game trip to Florida, NDSU went 3-5 against teams from up north… The Bison play 10 more games away from home before playing host to Minot State in their home opener on April 6… NDSU owns a 3.64 team ERA and .971 fielding percentage along with a .233 team batting average… Luke Lind (3-0) and Brian VanderWoude (3-1) lead the pitching staff in wins, picking up all their wins in relief… Sean Terres (0-1) leads the staff with four saves… Zach Mayo (0-1, 4.60) is tied for The Summit League lead with 23 strikeouts in 15.2 innings… Alex Rogers (0-1, 7.20) and Reed Pfannenstein (1-0, 3.00) are scheduled to start games two and three, respectively… Mason Pierzchalski leads the batting average at a .321 clip with Brayden Resch next at .315... Western took 4-of-6 last year against NDSU, winning two of the three games at home and in Fargo.
 
TEAM NOTES:
• Western dropped to a .211 team batting average following its five-game stretch against two of the best pitching staffs in the country - #14 Arkansas and #12 Missouri State.
 
• The six triples tie for the league lead while the 10 home runs and 17 stolen bases are third.
 
• WIU improved its fielding percentage to .962, tied for third-best in the league.
 
• Western's pitching staff leads The Summit League averaging 8.23 strikeouts per game, ahead of NDSU in second place at 7.54.
 
• Nate Westfahl picked up his first WIU save in game four of the Northern Kentucky series... The junior transfer allowed one run on two hits in 3.0 innings.
 
• Despite hitting just .160 last weekend at #14 Arkansas, the pitching staff held the Hogs to a .253 clip after they entered the weekend hitting above .300 as a team... The 4.97 ERA is the lowest team ERA in a weekend series this season.
 
• Freshman Ian Koch earned his second straight weekend start at Arkansas. Despite suffering the loss, he posts a 3.65 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.
 
• Sophomore Roman Visintine recorded two of the team's four pinch-hits this season. Erik Maki and Nick Schrader have the other two. Both of those were a home run during the eighth inning of the season opener at Tennessee Tech.
 
• Jordan Pannell has now struck out 15 batters in 8.2 innings this year in relief.
 
• Preston Church lowered is opponent batting average to .202 in 22.1 innings (17 hits allowed).
 
• Chris Tschida (SS), Colton Pogue (INF, DH) and Mark Garton (INF, C) have started all 15 games this year… Freshman Nick Schrader played in all 15 games with 13 starts.
 
POGUE AMONG SUMMIT LEADERS: Sophomore Colton Pogue is tied for second among The Summit League leaders in doubles with five. His team-leading fifth came on a ground rule double at Missouri State on Wednesday. Pogue also ranks fourth in home runs (3) and tied for 10th with three stolen bases.
 
CHURCH STARTS YEAR WITH NEW CAREER-HIGH: Junior Preston Church started off the 2016 campaign with a rough first inning but rebounded to strike out a career-high nine Tennessee Tech batters… After allowing a first inning grand slam, Church gave up a leadoff single in the second inning then not another hit until a leadoff single in the seventh… Church left the game with the lead, and three of his seven runs allowed were tallied after he left the game throwing 6.1 innings… In two of his last three starts, Church has gone at least six innings and allowed two or less earned runs... Church was tabbed by Baseball America as the Summit League 'Preseason Pitcher of the Year'... Church ranks fifth among The Summit League innings pitched leaders (22.1) and sixth in strikeouts (18).
 
TSCHIDA MATCHES TRIPLE-HIGH: During his freshman and sophomore year, Chris Tschida hit two triples in his 50 games played… The junior already matched his season-high hitting two triples in the first 15 games (at Tennessee Tech, at Southern Illinois)… With six triples Tschida needs three more to join the WIU career 'Top 10' list… He's currently tied for the Summit League lead.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL: Western Illinois was picked to finish sixth in the preseason Summit League poll. Oral Roberts received five of the six first-place votes for 25 points. Fort Wayne (19) and South Dakota State (17 points/1 first-place vote) were picked second and third, respectively. Omaha (15), North Dakota State (8) and Western (6) rounded out the poll. The top four teams at the end of the season advance to The Summit League tournament in Tulsa.

 
    




















































 
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Players Mentioned

Preston Church

#24 Preston Church

LHP
6' 3"
Junior
L/L
Mark Garton

#8 Mark Garton

C
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Erik Maki

#10 Erik Maki

OF
6' 4"
Senior
L/R
Joe Mortillaro

#21 Joe Mortillaro

RHP
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Chris Tschida

#6 Chris Tschida

INF
6' 3"
Junior
R/R
Roman Visintine

#9 Roman Visintine

OF
6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
Nate Westfahl

#19 Nate Westfahl

P
6' 3"
Junior
L/L
Nick Schrader

#14 Nick Schrader

INF
5' 9"
Freshman
L/R
Ian Koch

#23 Ian Koch

P
6' 5"
Freshman
R/R
Jordan Pannell

#37 Jordan Pannell

P
6' 5"
Senior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Preston Church

#24 Preston Church

6' 3"
Junior
L/L
LHP
Mark Garton

#8 Mark Garton

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
C
Erik Maki

#10 Erik Maki

6' 4"
Senior
L/R
OF
Joe Mortillaro

#21 Joe Mortillaro

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
RHP
Chris Tschida

#6 Chris Tschida

6' 3"
Junior
R/R
INF
Roman Visintine

#9 Roman Visintine

6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
OF
Nate Westfahl

#19 Nate Westfahl

6' 3"
Junior
L/L
P
Nick Schrader

#14 Nick Schrader

5' 9"
Freshman
L/R
INF
Ian Koch

#23 Ian Koch

6' 5"
Freshman
R/R
P
Jordan Pannell

#37 Jordan Pannell

6' 5"
Senior
R/R
P