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Western Illinois University Athletics

baseball team ndsu
WIU Visual Productions Center
2
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 8-10
1
Western Illinois WIU 1-13
Winner
North Dakota State NDSU
8-10
2
Final
1
Western Illinois WIU
1-13
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
North Dakota State NDSU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 5 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 2

W: Kevin Folman (1-0) L: Warkentien, Jace (0-1)

3
North Dakota State NDSU 8-11
6
Winner Western Illinois WIU 2-13
North Dakota State NDSU
8-11
3
Final
6
Western Illinois WIU
2-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
North Dakota State NDSU 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 1
Western Illinois WIU 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 2 X 6 13 0

W: Mikel, Jordan (1-0) L: Parker Harm (1-1) S: Minella, Pete (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Western Picks Up Series Win over NDSU

In a Sunday doubleheader, WIU baseball dropped a 2-1 decision in extra innings before concluding the series with a 6-3 victory.

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois baseball earned its first series win Sunday (March 18) with a 6-3 success over North Dakota State. The Leathernecks shutout NDSU, 2-0, in their home-opener, and dropped game one of the Sunday doubleheader, 2-1, in extra innings. 

"We've had a hard time finding ways to buck up when we've lost tough games like that, and I give our guys a lot of credit for bouncing back after that first game," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. 

GAME ONE
Game one featured an intense pitching duel. Neither Ryan Dunne nor Blake Stockert allowed a hit until the fifth inning, but Western's efforts resulted in a run.
 
Deion Thompson led off the frame with a single to right field and CJ Schaeffer followed the act a few at-bats later with a single to the opposite side. Western went on to load the bases, and hit by a pitch, with a Leatherneck standing at each square, Steve McShane brought in the first run of the day.
 
The Bison evened the score in the top of the eighth, and walked away with the win in the 10th. Both runs were unearned as Western recorded a fielding error and throwing error in the respective innings.
 
Despite the heartbreaker, Dunne stuck with the theme of his recent appearances by pitching another stellar game. He went 8.0 innings, allowing a season-low three hits and no earned runs, while striking out seven. Lefty freshman Jace Warkentien pitched a career-high 2.0 innings with two hits and no earned runs.
 
GAME TWO
Going the distance for a career-high 3.1 innings, freshman Jordan Mikel picked up his first collegiate win in the series finale.
 
He entered a tied ballgame in the top of the fifth, and saw his team break the stalemate in the home half of the frame. Dillon Sears was hit by a pitch and advanced to third base on a pair of wild pitches, and Justin Fitzpatrick brought him home with an RBI-single to left field.
 
From there, Mikel retired seven straight hitters -- highlighted by three swinging strike outs -- before a one-out double by Jayse McLean in the eighth inning. Colan Borchers crowned the frame by battling back from a 3-0 count to force a Bison into a double play.  
 
In the bottom of the inning, Bailey Montgomery and Steve McShane extended the Leathernecks' lead to 6-3 with an RBI-double and RBI-single, respectively.  
 
Montgomery went 3-for-3 on the day with two RBIs, while Fitzpatrick, Thompson and Grant Hannant each recorded two hits. Pete Minella was credited with the save with three straight outs in the ninth.

"Game one was tough. Dunne was in control; again, you feel bad for him but it's just a matter of time for him. We make one more play there and we finish that off," continued Brownlee.

"We took better approaches in RBI situations in the second game, and defensively we were really good. I give our infielders a lot of credit. That's a long day. Johnathan Fleek played his tail off and he made some unbelievable plays. It was good to see Pete out there, too. He was big for us last year, and looked more comfortable today than he has in his previous outings. He's starting to get his legs back underneath him, and our two freshmen did fine. Jace and Jordan Mikel, and all those young guys have a chance to be really special on the mound. They just have to keep working."

In a midweek tilt, Western welcomes Maryville University to the Alfred D. Boyer Stadium Wednesday at 3 p.m.
 
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