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2
Western Illinois WIU 18-26, 12-11 Summit
5
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 25-22, 15-10 Summit
Western Illinois WIU
18-26, 12-11 Summit
2
Final
5
North Dakota State NDSU
25-22, 15-10 Summit
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 4 0
North Dakota State NDSU 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 X 5 12 1

W: Luke Lind (5-4) L: Koch, Ian (5-3) S: Chris Choles (4)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Western Falls in Series Opener at NDSU

Johnathan Fleek had two hits and two RBI

FARGO, N.D. – Johnathan Fleek finished with two hits and two RBI, but the junior second baseman accounted for Western Illinois' offense in a 5-2 defeat at North Dakota State Friday night (May 12).  
 
The Bison struck first during the second inning. A walk, RBI double, infield single and run-scoring single on a bunt gave NDSU (25-22 overall, 15-10 Summit League) a 2-0 lead. The lead grew to 3-0 on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
 
Western broke up Luke Lind's no-hitter in the fourth when Adam McGinnis reached on a two-out error then Chris Tschida lined a single up the middle. Fleek hit a hard grounder but right at the third baseman to end the threat.
 
The Leathernecks used two out hitting to get on the scoreboard. C.J. Schaeffer lined a leadoff single in the sixth. McGinnis was hit by a pitch with two outs then Tschida walked to load the bases. Fleek dropped a single into left field to drive in two runs.
 
NDSU responded with two runs in its half of the sixth on a RBI single and sacrifice fly for the final margin.
 
"We got a little bit going there, but we gave it right back to them after we got close to cutting into it, then you turn around and give them two (runs) the next inning and give them a nice cushion," said head coach Ryan Brownlee.
 
Fleek recorded his 12th multi-hit game this year. Tschida's single was the 193rd hit in his career. Ian Koch (5-3) was charged for all five runs on seven hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out six.
 
Nate Westfahl gave up two hits in an inning of work. Connor Rektorski worked out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh getting an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play, going two scoreless innings.
 
Lind (5-4) allowed two runs on three hits in 6.0 innings. The senior walked one and struck out seven. Chris Choles pitched one-hit ball over three scoreless innings for his fourth save. Four Bison players had a multi-hit game.
 
"North Dakota State was ready to go. We didn't play poorly but when you go on the road, you have to play well. We gave them some free bases and they got their two runs when we gave them free bases," said Brownlee. "We weren't as sharp as we needed to be if you want to win on Friday night. (Luke) Lind has been really good… I'll give him a lot of credit, he doesn't look like a position player pitching anymore, he looked like a pitcher. His command has gotten much better, he's got a good feel on a cutter, a good feel on a curve ball, and a good feel on a change up. Anytime you face a four-pitch guy, regardless of the side of the plate, you've got to be locked in and we weren't locked in like we needed to be. That's how our games are always with them. They are always going to be tight. We've got to get back to playing like we are capable of tomorrow and good things will happen to us."
 
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
 
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