Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Baseball 18
4
Western Illinois WIU 17-31
8
Winner South Dakota State SDSU 17-31
Western Illinois WIU
17-31
4
Final
8
South Dakota State SDSU
17-31
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 8 2
South Dakota State SDSU 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 X 8 8 1

W: Korey Kuhlmann (3-3) L: Koch, Ian (4-6) S: Derek Feige (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Defy Expectations; Season Concludes in Summit Tournament

The Leathernecks concluded a stellar 2018 slate in the Summit League Tournament.

TULSA, Okla. – What do you say to the team that defied expectations? The team that claimed the No. 2 seed in its championship tournament after posting its most league wins in 12 years. The team that battled with bases loaded in the ninth inning but fell, 8-4, in an elimination game. 

To the Western Illinois baseball team, the words are simple -"We're proud of you." The Leathernecks concluded their 2018 campaign in the Summit League Tournament Thursday (May 24) in an 8-4 setback against No. 4 South Dakota State. 

For seniors Colan Borchers, Ryan Dunne, Johnathan Fleek, Sam Cottingham-Beard, Dave Dobrinich, Mitch Ellis, and Pete Minella, it marked their final outing in purple and gold. 

The Leathernecks plated a run in the first inning on a wild pitch and erased back-to-back solo home runs in the second with Ellis' sacrifice fly. The back-and-forth scoring continued into the next frame, and the Jackrabbits' 4-3 lead stuck until a two-out bases-loaded jam in the seventh. SDSU scored its first run on a walk and three more on a two-RBI single and bunt single. 

South Dakota State held a narrow 5-4 edge in hits through the first five innings of action, but Western held more scoring opportunities. The Leathernecks concluded the first inning with bases loaded and left runners stranded at second and third base at the end of the fourth. 

While waiting for the tides to turn in their offense, Ian Koch retired seven straight Jacks. 

The streak was broken with a single, but he finished the sixth inning with strikeouts. The junior has fanned 182 hitters in his career to rank fifth all-time in Leatherneck history. He pitched 6.2 innings, and his stat line included six hits, six earned runs, and eight strikeouts. Borchers also left it all on the field with a one-hitter in 1.1 innings, highlighted by an eighth frame where he struck out the side. 

The Leathernecks fought, as they've done all season, by loading the bases in their last at-bats. Deion Thompson began the rally with a single to center field, and a runner stood at each square before Bailey Montgomery recorded an RBI-single to left. There were two outs on the board during the play and the game concluded with a strikeout. 

Western's season ended with an overall record of 17-31, 14-12 in the Summit League. Five were named to postseason lists as Steve McShane, and Koch were selected First Team All-Summit League, and Dunne, CJ Schaeffer, and Alex Dorethy were named second team.
 
Print Friendly Version