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1
Robert Morris RMU 8-5
12
Winner Western Illinois WIU 6-16
Robert Morris RMU
8-5
1
Final
12
Western Illinois WIU
6-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Robert Morris RMU 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 2
Western Illinois WIU 1 2 1 4 0 4 X 12 11 2

W: Perkins, Jimmy (2-0) L: Pierce Westerdahl (2-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Chris Tschida's Grand Slam Leads WIU Past Robert Morris in Seven Innings

Senior hit his first-ever grand slam in the 12-1 victory

MACOMB, Ill. – Senior Chris Tschida recorded three hits, including his first-ever grand slam, leading Western Illinois to a 12-1 victory over Robert Morris (Peoria) on Tuesday afternoon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
 
The Eagles actually jumped on the board first, needing just three pitches. Leadoff hitter Sean Green lined a single then on the next pitch from Jimmy Perkins, Ryan Slusher lined a single to center. Green went to third and scored on an errant throw from the outfield.
 
Tschida started his day with a RBI double in the first inning to tie the score at 1-all. Perkins took over from there. He retired the next six batters in order, three via a strikeout. RMU got a leadoff single in the fourth, but Perkins eventually got an inning-ending double play to keep the Eagles from scoring more.
 
In the second, Mitch Ellis scored on a single from Justin Fitzpatrick and throwing error by the first baseman on a heads-up play by Fitzpatrick to steal second base on the same play. Steve McShane delivered a RBI double to make it 3-1.
 
Deion Thompson added a sacrifice fly in the third to score Tschida, who led off the inning with a single. The senior broke the game open the next inning.
 
Cord Church singled with one out. McShane followed with a single for his first multi-hit game of the year. Adam McGinnis was intentionally walked to load the bases. Tschida then dropped a shot into the trees beyond the left field fence for his second homer of the year and career-high five RBI.
 
Western (6-16 overall) added four more runs in the sixth inning. Drue Galassi walked, stole a base and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Nick Schrader walked and stole second. Austin Emanuel got hit by a pitch, and both scored on Thompson's 2-run double. He would score during the next at-bat when Roman Visintine lined a RBI single.
 
Leading 12-1 in the seventh, Matthew Sturchio got a called third strike to start the inning. J.T. Baksha came on in relief and got a foul out and strikeout to secure the win.
 
"Those are always scary games because if you're not ready it can come back to bite you. It started on the mound again, Perk (Perkins) did a good job. We had a defensive miscue in the first but he didn't let it bother him," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "We had a good approach off a funky lefty (RMU starter Pierce Westerdahl), those guys can give you fits but every one of our batters got up in the box and the plate and did a good job of getting good pitches to hit. We stole a lot of bases, we have that capability with our lineup. We have to do that to score multiple runs, we need to run the bases… Our guys up and down the lineup swung the bat too and hopefully that gets some of our guys going this weekend."
 
Perkins (2-0) allowed the one run on three hits in four innings. He walked one and matched a career-high of four strikeouts.
 
Tschida's three hits were a season-high and his five RBI set a new personal-best. Thompson drove in a career-high three runs.
 
Pierce Westerdahl (2-2) was charged for eight runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings. He walked four and struck out two. Dominic Johnson had two hits for the Eagles (8-5).
 
Western concludes its season-long nine-game homestand on Wednesday (March 29) against Bradley, first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
 
 
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