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NickMilligan
Nick Milligan earned the win in relief.
4
Western Illinois WIU 1-8
7
Winner Northern Kentucky NKU 4-6
Western Illinois WIU
1-8
4
Final
7
Northern Kentucky NKU
4-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 1
Northern Kentucky NKU 0 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 X 7 10 1

W: GANNS (1-0) L: Baksha, J.T. (0-2) S: BOLIA (2)

8
Winner Western Illinois WIU 2-8
6
Northern Kentucky NKU 4-7
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
2-8
8
Final
6
Northern Kentucky NKU
4-7
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 2 0 8 15 1
Northern Kentucky NKU 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 0 6 16 1

W: Milligan, Nick (1-0) L: ASMAN (0-2) S: Westfahl, Nate (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Complete Doubleheader Split

Connor Currier ended the day with five hits

WESTFIELD, Ind. – The Western Illinois baseball team finished a doubleheader split on Sunday afternoon (March 6) against Northern Kentucky to close out the four-game series. The Fighting Leathernecks dropped game one 7-4 before winning the nightcap 8-6.
 
Western (2-8 overall) and NKU (4-7) split the two doubleheaders on the weekend.
 
GAME ONE:
 
The Leathernecks came swinging once again putting up four runs in the first inning. Chris Tschida singled, Adam McGinnis walked and Colton Pogue was hit by a pitch to start the game. Mark Garton walked to bring home a run.
 
McGinnis would score on a wild pitch to put Western up 2-0. Nick Schrader would draw a walk that allowed Garton to score. Drue Galassi reached on a throwing error and allowed another run to cross for a 4-0 lead.
 
Northern Kentucky scored two runs in the bottom of the second then three more in the third to take the lead for good. The Norse plated two more runs in the seventh for the final margin.
 
J.T. Baksha allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in three innings. Baksha (0-2) walked one and struck out one. Ricky Digrugilliers gave up two runs in three innings, striking out three. Matthew Sturchio pitched two hitless innings of relief, striking out three.
 
Tschida's single in the first was followed later in the game by Connor Currier's single to account for Western's two hits in the game.
 
 
GAME TWO:
 
Western's bats came alive in the nightcap, accounting for 15 hits in the 8-6 victory. It would be NKU getting on the board first with a run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
The game was highlighted by the freshman Galassi hitting two triples in the game, the first time a Leatherneck accomplished the feat in two years.
 
Galassi lined a one-out triple in the fifth. Two batters later he scored on a RBI single from Tschida. CJ Schaeffer was hit by a pitch and then Pogue lined a RBI single. Schaeffer went to third on the play and scored on an error by the outfielder.
 
The Norse plated a run in the fifth but Western answered with two more in sixth. Connor Currier doubled to start the frame. With two outs a double steal put runners at second and third. They scored on a 2-run single by Justin Fitzpatrick.
 
NKU tied the game in the sixth with a three-run frame. Pogue broke the tie in the seventh with a leadoff home run. Western took an 8-5 lead in the eighth. Galassi tripled to start the inning and scored on Fitzpatrick's RBI double. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, he scored on Tschida's sacrifice fly.
 
The Norse got a run back on a RBI groundout in the eighth but the bullpen closed the door to secure the split.
 
Currier went 4-for-5 to lead Western. Pogue finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and Galassi added three hits and three runs scored. Fitzpatrick went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
 
Ian Koch made his first collegiate start, allowing two runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings. He walked three and struck out three. Nick Milligan (1-0) went 1.2 innings to pick up the win. Nate Westfahl allowed one run on two hits in three innings to earn the save.
 
"Offensively we were much better in the second game. If you want to be really good at this level as a team you have to compete on every pitch. I don't care if you're in the big league or not, nobody is good enough to just stroll out there. You have to compete on all the pitches every day if you want to win and enjoy that one-on-one battle with the opponent," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "I told the guys after the game this group can be as good as they want to be and hold themselves and their teammates accountable. I'll take our chances against anybody but that's the key. We have to have the mind set that we are going to show up. It lets us know that we can go out there and beat anyone… but we have to be in the right mindset in order to do that."
 
The Fighting Leathernecks will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a three-game set starting this Friday (March 11) against the No. 12 ranked Razorbacks.
 
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