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Western Illinois University Athletics

Javin Drake
WIU Visual Productions Center
1
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 9-14, 2-4 Summit
0
Western Illinois WIU 5-16, 3-3 Summit
Winner
North Dakota State NDSU
9-14, 2-4 Summit
1
Final
0
Western Illinois WIU
5-16, 3-3 Summit
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
North Dakota State NDSU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 7 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0

W: Kevin Folman (2-0) L: Westfahl, Nate (0-3)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Drop Weekend Finale 1-0

Pitchers duel goes into the ninth inning as Javin Drake threw six shutout innings


PHOTO GALLERY

MACOMB, Ill. – Sunday's series finale pitching duel was settled in the ninth inning as North Dakota State pushed across a run and Western Illinois wound up dropping a 1-0 decision at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
 
Relief pitcher Nate Westfahl worked out of a two-out jam in the seventh inning but in the ninth he gave up a leadoff single. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner over then Drew Fearing lined a RBI single to center for the eventual game-winning run.
 
Western began a rally in the ninth when pinch-hitter Ben Sellers drew a leadoff walk. Kevin Folman got a fielder's choice for the first out then retired the Leathernecks on back-to-back called third strike.
 
Freshman starter Javin Drake turned in another solid outing, scattering just four hits and three walks to five strikeouts through six shutout innings. He got an inning-ending double play off the bat of Fearing in the third. In the fifth NDSU loaded the bases with no one out but a called third strike, fielder's choice and infield popup kept the Bison (9-14 overall, 2-4 Summit League) off the scoreboard. Drake gave up a one-out single in the sixth but wound up striking out the side that frame.

"Javin is way beyond his years on the mound. He kept his composure, he was in tight spots most of the game in a tie score. He did an unbelievable job keeping his composure the whole game. All three games were well played games. We're obviously disappointed in the results, but our defense and pitching have improved vastly in the last three weeks," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "We still have guys offensively who have not gotten going yet. That's the light at the end of the tunnel, when those guys get going, guys who are proven hitters, that's the encouraging thing. It's just a matter of time before those guys get going. I'm happy with how guys have handled their roles. Cord Church has been keeping his nose to the grindstone, I'm really happy for him. He's been productive in his times. He had good at-bats today but just nothing to show for it. Steve (McShane) and Ben Sellers are giving us good at-bats off the bench."

NDSU starter Jordan Harms matched the zeros on the scoreboard. Deion Thompson walked and went to second with two out on a sacrifice bunt in the third but was stranded. Johnathan Fleek singled in his first two appearances but could not advance into scoring position. In the fourth, with Fleek at first and two out, Chris Tschida hit a deep flyball to the right field gap but it was caught on the run right in front of the fence by the centerfielder Alec Abercrombie.
 
In the seventh, this time Tschida found the right field gap again for a one-out double. Conner Currier followed with a walk. Mitch Ellis hit a liner that nearly cleared the glove of Fearing at second base but was caught for the second out and kept Western off the scoreboard.
 
Westfahl (0-3) was charged for the one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out three. Adam McGinnis hit a double to join Tschida's double and Fleek's two hits for Western's offense.
 
Abercrombie tallied two of NDSU's seven hits. Harms struck out seven and gave up three hits in six innings. Folman went the final 2.1 innings to improve to 2-0.
 
Western (5-16, 3-3) concludes its eight-game homestand on Wednesday against Bradley. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
 
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