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Baseball Homestand Continues Versus South Dakota State

Schedule change for the weekend with now a doubleheader on Saturday due to possible inclement weather.

#WIUGAMEDAY INFORMATION
 

South Dakota State Jackrabbits (3-16, 1-2)
at
Western Illinois Leathernecks (4-14, 2-1)

WHEN AND WHERE:
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Andrew Clemen (Sr, RHP) vs. Aaron Michel (Jr, LHP)

SATURDAY, MARCH 26
Ethan Kenkel (Jr, RHP) vs. Ian Koch (Fr, RHP)
Ryan Froom (Jr, RHP) vs. Joe Mortillaro (Sr, RHP)

Macomb, Illinois
Alfred D. Boyer Stadium

GAME NOTES:
Leatherneck Baseball

Jackrabbit Baseball

LIVE AUDIO:
88.3 FM The Dog (Friday)
Leatherneck All-Access (Saturday)

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 continues its seven-game homestand this weekend playing host to South Dakota State.

Due to possible inclement weather in the area, Saturday's schedule will now be a doubleheader at 11 a.m. with no game on Sunday. Friday remains a 3 p.m. first pitch.

TEAM NOTES:
• Adam McGinnis matched his career-high of a six-game hitting streak while Roman Visintine matched his career-high of five game hitting streak.

• Chris Tschida leads the team with seven multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games.

• Western leads The Summit League with eight triples and the 7.83 strikeouts per nine innings also leads the way.

• Nate Westfahl earned his second save of the year, going the ninth in game two of the North Dakota State series.

• Aaron Michel entered Sunday's game with an ERA over 16. The junior left-hander pitched a season-best three scoreless innings in getting the hold during Western's win over North Dakota State. He gave up one hit and no walks.

• Jimmy Perkins pitched a season-high two scoreless innings, with a season-high three strikeouts, in the NDSU series finale.

• Conner Currier jumped up to fourth in The Summit League in batting average (team-leading .367). He ended an 0-for-12 slump by going 7-for-9 with a double and two triples in the final two games of the NDSU series.

• Preston Church leads The Summit League with his .208 opponent batting average. He also ranks fourth in innings pitched (27.2).

• Roman Visintine recorded two of the team's five pinch-hits this season. The sophomore is riding a three game streak with a multi-hit game.

• Jordan Pannell has now struck out 17 batters in 11.1 innings this year in relief.

• Chris Tschida (SS), Colton Pogue (INF, DH) and Mark Garton (INF, C) have started all 18 games this year… Freshman Nick Schrader played in 18 games with 15 starts.

• In five relief appearances Robert Nunn has not allowed a walk or an earned run. In 4.1 innings he's given up six hits, two runs and struck out three.
• Senior Mark Garton was credited with his first career stolen base during the finale at Missouri State. Garton was caught in a rundown between third and home, and slid under the tag at home to score a run. During the next game (NDSU game one) he stole another base.

• Junior transfer Cord Church picked up his first hits of the season last weekend. He finished with three hits in the North Dakota State series, 3-for-7 in that stretch.

POGUE AMONG SUMMIT LEADERS: Sophomore Colton Pogue is tied for fourth among The Summit League leaders in doubles with five. His team-leading fifth came on a ground rule double at Missouri State. Pogue also ranks fourth in home runs (3).

CURRIER DELIVERS: Junior Conner Currier delivered in a big way in Western's four victories. He turned in a pair of 4-hit games, a 3-hit game and a 2-hit outing in the four wins... In the four wins, Currier is a combined 13-for-19 with four runs scored and two RBI... His current 7-of-9 hitting streak helped move him up to among The Summit League leaders: third in walks (.81), second in on-base percentage (.492), tied for first in triples (2), ninth in RBI (.69), and 10th in slugging percentage (.490).

CHURCH PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR: 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… Church was tabbed by Baseball America as the Summit League 'Preseason Pitcher of the Year'.

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 18 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.

SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State took its Summit League opener at Oral Roberts (3-2 in 11 innings) but dropped the final two games 13-3, 9-1... SDSU brings a 3-16 overall record into this weekend... Friday starter Andrew Clemen owns a 1-3 record and 3.94 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 32 innings... Ethan Kenkel (0-1, 9.82 ERA) and Ryan Froom (0-4, 9.27) are scheduled for Saturday... Cody Sharrow (.356) leads in batting average, followed by Luke Ringhofer at .349 (4 2B, 12 BB) with a .474 on-base percentage... Newt Johnson (.236) hit a team-leading three home runs and added four doubles... Matt Johnson leads the Jackrabbits with five doubles and 11 RBI... SDSU opened the year with four losses to Florida Atlantic and nationally-ranked Mississippi State followed by four losses at Wilmington, N.C. to UNC-Wilmington, VCU and two to Eastern Kentucky... SDSU ended a 13-game losing streak to start the year by taking 2-of-3 at Northern Colorado.

 
    




















































 
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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
Adam McGinnis

#12 Adam McGinnis

C
5' 11"
Junior
R/R
Aaron Michel

#11 Aaron Michel

LHP
5' 10"
Junior
L/L
Joe Mortillaro

#21 Joe Mortillaro

RHP
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Robert Nunn

#31 Robert Nunn

RHP
6' 5"
Junior
R/R
Chris Tschida

#6 Chris Tschida

INF
6' 3"
Junior
R/R
Roman Visintine

#9 Roman Visintine

OF
6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
Cord Church

#17 Cord Church

OF
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Nate Westfahl

#19 Nate Westfahl

P
6' 3"
Junior
L/L
Jimmy Perkins

#20 Jimmy Perkins

OF/P
5' 11"
Freshman
R/R
Nick Schrader

#14 Nick Schrader

INF
5' 9"
Freshman
L/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
Adam McGinnis

#12 Adam McGinnis

5' 11"
Junior
R/R
C
Aaron Michel

#11 Aaron Michel

5' 10"
Junior
L/L
LHP
Joe Mortillaro

#21 Joe Mortillaro

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
RHP
Robert Nunn

#31 Robert Nunn

6' 5"
Junior
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
Cord Church

#17 Cord Church

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
OF
Nate Westfahl

#19 Nate Westfahl

6' 3"
Junior
L/L
P
Jimmy Perkins

#20 Jimmy Perkins

5' 11"
Freshman
R/R
OF/P
Nick Schrader

#14 Nick Schrader

5' 9"
Freshman
L/R
INF