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Mitch Ellis - recap
15
Winner Texas Tech TTU 1-0
1
Western Illinois WIU 0-1
Winner
Texas Tech TTU
1-0
15
Final
1
Western Illinois WIU
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Texas Tech TTU 0 2 3 1 2 5 0 0 2 15 13 1
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 1

W: Martin, Davis (1-0) L: Baksha, J.T. (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Western Drops Season Opener to #14 Red Raiders

Mitch Ellis records two hits in his Leatherneck debut

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Western Illinois fell behind early and eventually lost its 2017 season-opener, a 15-1 decision to 14th-ranked Texas Tech on Friday afternoon (Feb. 17) in Starkville, Mississippi.
 
The game got off to a good start for junior J.T. Baksha (0-1), needing just five pitches to get out of the first inning. The Leathernecks threatened in their half of the first when Johnathan Fleek reached on a one-out hit by pitch and took third on a failed pickoff attempt throwing error by pitcher Davis Martin. However, Western could not get the run home.
 
In the second, Tech scored two runs on a hit, three walks and a sacrifice fly. Hunter Hardgrove hit a 2-run homer in the third inning, and TTU added another run in the fourth to make it 6-0. Adam McGinnis was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the fourth, then he scored two batters later when Deion Thompson hit a deep fly ball to the centerfield fence for a RBI double.
 
The Red Raiders added two RBI doubles in the fifth, then got five runs in the sixth – three coming on a home run by Orlando Garcia. TTU added two more runs in the ninth to end the scoring.
 
Western's defense turned two double plays, both ground balls courtesy of redshirt-freshman pitcher Ben Sellers to close out the seventh and ninth inning.
 
Mitch Ellis led the offense with two hits, including a double in his first at-bat as a Leatherneck. Thompson, Chris Tschida, Roman Visintine and Dave Dobrinich all added a base hit.
 
Walks hurt the pitching staff, allowing 12 free passes and giving up 13 hits. Baksha allowed five runs on four hits in three innings with five walks and a strikeout. Colan Borchers gave up three runs on four hits in two innings, striking out two while walking four, and Sellers pitched four innings with five hits and three walks allowed.
 
Martin, a 2016 Freshman All-American, earned the win by allowing one run on four hits in six innings. He fanned seven without a walk. Hargrove finished 4-for-5 with four RBI. Michael Davis recorded three hits and four runs scored for the nationally-ranked Red Raiders.
 
Western returns to Dudy Noble Field on Saturday (Feb. 18), facing the Red Raiders at 1 p.m. followed by a game against host Mississippi State. Game two against MSU can be seen on ESPN3.
 
 
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