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Western Illinois University Athletics

Johnathan Fleek
Sarah Ritter
2
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 26-22
0
Western Illinois WIU 17-30
Winner
North Dakota State NDSU
26-22
2
Final
0
Western Illinois WIU
17-30
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
North Dakota State NDSU 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 5 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

W: Blake Stockert (5-3) L: Dunne, Ryan (4-7)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Drop Opening Round of Summit Tournament

The Leathernecks dropped their first game of the Summit League Tournament but will continue action Thursday at 12 p.m.

TULSA, Okla. – With his team staring down the unfortunate side of a no-hitter, Western Illinois' Deion Thompson sent a blooper to center field in the eighth inning. The hit marked the Leathernecks' lone of the day as they fell, 2-0, to North Dakota State Wednesday (May 23) in the opening round of the Summit League Baseball Tournament. 

NDSU's Blake Stockert pitched a complete game with one hit, three walks, and five strikeouts while Western's Ryan Dunne pitched seven innings with five hits, two runs, five walks and five strikeouts. He finished the game with his 98th strikeout to rank third all-time in Western's single-season history.

"I was proud of them. They were ready to play," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "Ryan Dunne has been consistent all year. The thing he and I talked about this week was if some adversity happens, don't let one thing flow into another. He did a really good job, and he kept us right in there. The game could have easily gotten away, but he hung in there, and then handed it over to Pete [Minella].

"Sometimes you're going to come out on the wrong end of the stick. This is how our games have gone against North Dakota State forever; both teams pitch, play good defense and then whoever executes best offensively is probably going to end up on the right side of the scoreboard. Both teams were ready to play today, and again, I am proud of our guys. We have to flush this one out, have a short memory and get ready to play again tomorrow." 

The Leathernecks continue their appearance in the tournament Thursday at 12 p.m. and will take on the loser of No. 1 Oral Roberts versus No. 4 South Dakota State.  

Each side allowed their first base runners to reach via walk. NDSU's remained at first base to end the second inning while Western's rounded the corners on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt in the third. What eventually became one of their best opportunities to score, Drue Galassi was called out at home on a fielder's choice, and the Leathernecks left the inning with runners stranded at first and second. 

The first hit of the day wasn't recorded until Bennet Hostetler's leadoff single in the fourth, and the first run was posted in the fifth. The Bison used a sac fly to center field to plate the score and added another in the sixth frame with an RBI single to the same area. 

Thompson nearly cut the Leathernecks' advantage in half with a solo home run, but NDSU's center fielder had his back against the wall and glove just above the fence to record the out. 

Pete Minella entered the game in the eighth inning and strikeout a Bison to close the frame with runners standing in scoring position. He pitched two complete innings with no hits or runs and added two strikeouts. 
 
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