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Western Illinois University Athletics

Nate Westfahl
3
Winner Western Illinois WIU 13-26, 10-11 Summit
1
South Dakota State SDSU 17-26, 11-10 Summit
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
13-26, 10-11 Summit
3
Final
1
South Dakota State SDSU
17-26, 11-10 Summit
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 7 2
South Dakota State SDSU 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 1

W: Westfahl, Nate (1-0) L: Greg Casper (0-3)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Rally to Win Series at South Dakota State

Western scores three times in the eighth to win 3-1

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Western Illinois scored three times in the eighth inning and Nate Westfahl closed the door on a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon (May 1) at South Dakota State. The Leathernecks (13-26 overall, 10-11 Summit League) took the weekend series and holds the regular season series edge over the Jackrabbits taking 4-of-6.
 
Leadoff hitter Roman Visintine singled to start the eighth frame and chase starter Ryan Froom. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, then consecutive walks by Greg Casper to Deion Thompson and Adam McGinnis loaded the bases.
 
With Visintine taking off on the 1-1 pitch, Nick Schrader successfully dropped a sacrifice bunt down the third base line to tie the game. Conner Currier reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, allowing Thompson to score. Mark Garton followed with a RBI single, making it 3-1.
 
Westfahl, who entered in the sixth inning, sent the Jackrabbits (17-26, 11-10) down in order from there to earn his first win of the season.
 
"That was a gut check performance by our team. (Matthew) Sturchio and Westfahl beared down all game. I'm so proud of Matt, taking advantage of his start. We haven't had a lot of opportunities to get Nate in lately, and to his credit he hasn't hung his head and stayed ready," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "We had a lot of good at-bats early and SDSU made some great plays defensively. We stayed with it and that's all you can ask of your team. We showed a lot of mental toughness and heart this weekend."
 
Sturchio earned not only his first weekend start, but his first start this year. He went a season-high five innings, with the only run allowed off a two-out error in the fifth inning. Sturchio scattered two hits, walked one and struck out two.
 
Westfahl (1-0) also set a season-high, going the final four innings. He gave up a single, walked one and matched a season-high of four strikeouts.
 
Visintine had three of Western's seven hits, matching his career-high. The sophomore outfielder accounted for a career-high two doubles. Western's 6-9 hitters each tallied a single.
 
Froom allowed one run on five hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out six. Casper (0-3) was charged for the loss with two unearned runs off two walks. Three different Jackrabbits accounted for their three hits.
 
Western returns to action on Tuesday night (May 3), traveling to Iowa. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The game can be seen on Big Ten Network Plus.
 
 
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