LEATHERNECKS BEGIN EIGHT GAME ROADTRIP: Western Illinois opens an eight-game homestand this weekend at Oral Roberts... The Leathernecks play three at ORU, a midweek at SIU-Edwardsville, three at Omaha and another at Iowa.
MARCH WEATHER IS HAVOC ON SCHEDULE: The month of March has not been kind to Western Illinois' schedule. The Leathernecks have lost seven games this month due to inclement weather, but been able to make some up with three games getting played.
LAST TIME OUT: Senior Chris Tschida recorded three hits, including his first-ever grand slam, leading Western Illinois to a 12-1 victory over Robert Morris (Peoria)… Jimmy 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… Deion Thompson drove in a career-high three runs.
NUMBERS ON THE RISE: Since starting the year 0-11, Western is 6-5 (and 5-3 at home)… The team batting average in that span is .262 (26 points higher), fielding percentage at .956 (seven better) and team ERA at 2.81 (5.92 overall)… The Leathernecks have stolen 25-of-36 bases in the 11 games while opponents are just 7-of-13… In that span and heading into this weekend, Western has allowed a .228 opponent batting average and offensively forced opponents to a 5.03 ERA… The defense has turned 12 double plays in that 11-game span.
TSCHIDA APPROACHING CAREER RECORDS LISTINGS: Senior Chris Tschida continues his climb up a couple of career 'Top 10' categories… With 172 career games played, he overtook ninth place all-time and one shy of Cooper Stewart in eighth place… His 169 hits tie him with Ryan Langdon for 10th place, and just 12 away from joining the top five all-time… Tschdia also needs two triples to match the current three-way tie for ninth place with nine.
WESTFAHL SAVES THE DAY: Senior Nate Westfahl moved up a spot into a tie for third with his first save of the year and sixth in his career following the 4-1 win over Fort Wayne… Westfahl is now tied with Nathan Miller and five away from the record.
DIAMOND STEALING: Western recorded a season-high eight stolen bases against Robert Morris, including a career-high two steals from Chris Tschida… Showcasing the base-running ability up and down the line-up, the Leathernecks improved to 41-of-56 overall this year as 11 players have two or more steals and no one more than five (Johnathan Fleek 5-of-9)… Entering this weekend Western ranked 14th nationally with 1.86 steals per game, and 18th overall with the 41 steals.
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS: Western Illinois accomplished a feat not done since March 2008 when in the first inning of game two at Southeast Missouri Adam McGinnis and Drue Galassi hit consecutive home runs… McGinnis launched a 2-run shot followed by Galassi's solo homer… Not to be outdone, another pair of Leatherneck teammates accomplished the same feat at home versus North Dakota State. Mitch Ellis and Deion Thompson both hit solo homers in game one of the series… It was the first time since Cooper Stewart (3-run) and Tyler Metcalf hit back-to-back jacks at Oklahoma.
HIT FOR THE CYCLE, SORT OF: Sophomore Drue Galassi enjoyed a productive day at the plate on Saturday in a doubleheader against #14 Texas Tech and Mississippi State... He earned the start in game one batting seventh. After starting 0-for-2, Galassi lined a RBI triple in the seventh inning. During the ninth inning with two outs, Galassi turned on a 3-2 pitch and launched it well over the right field fence... In the nightcap against the Bulldogs, Galassi batted fourth. He doubled and scored in the fourth inning then singled and stole a base in the sixth.
D1BASEBALL.COM PLAYERS TO WATCH: According to the Preseason Summit League preview by D1Baseball.com, seniors Adam McGinnis (C) and Preston Church (LHP) were two of the top 10 prospects in the 2017 MLB Draft Class... Sophomore Deion Thompson was ranked fourth of the five prospects for the 2018 Draft... Freshman right-handed pitcher Javin Drake was one of five Impact Freshman chosen by the website.
TEAM NOTES:
• Ian Koch recorded two pickoffs during his start against Mississippi State and has a team-leading three on the year. He had just one pickoff in his team-leading 12 starts last year... Koch also leads WIU and The Summit League in innings pitched (37.0) and ranks fifth in the league in strikeouts (28).
• Senior Preston Church made his first start (early March at Southern Illinois) in nearly a year since missing the final two months of the 2016 season due to his injury… Church struck out a career-high 10 batters in his victory over North Dakota State, and matched his personal-best of 8.0 innings. The senior left-hander allowed one run on two hits and walked just one to his 10 strikeouts.
• Nine different Leathernecks have three or more stolen bases this year, led by Johnathan Fleek (5-of-9)… Adam McGinnis (4-7), Chris Tschida (4-5), Deion Thompson (4-5), Cord Church (4-4) and Steve McShane (4-4) are right behind with four steals… The Leathernecks swiped 25 bases in the last 11 games.
• Western's defense has turned a Summit League-leading 21 double plays this year in 22 games. That ranks Western 60th nationally.
• Roman Visintine's three triples lead The Summit League and 27th nationally.
• Adam McGinnis increased his OPS to a team-leading .917, followed by Johnathan Fleek (.829), Roman Visintine (.785), Dave Dobrinich (.785), and Cord Church (.731).
• Chris Tschida went above .200 batting on the year for the first time following his 3-hit performance against Robert Morris. A career .267 hitter, Tschida is 6-for his last-18 at the plate with four runs scored and six RBI.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Oral Roberts opened Summit League play with weekend sweeps over North Dakota State and South Dakota State... Dylan Snypes leads with a .366 batting average followed by Nick Roark (.318), Michael Hungate (.315), Noah Cummings (.313, team-leading 28 RBI) and Matt Whatley (.307)... Justin McGregor (3-0, 2.42), Josh McMinn (4-1, 2.70) and Miguel Ausua (4-2, 3.00) are scheduled to get the weekend start... ORU is 11-4 at home this year and 6-3 away from Tulsa.
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