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Western Illinois University Athletics

Javin Drake
Sarah Twidwell
7
Western Illinois WIU 16-26
8
Winner IOWA IOWA 27-16
Western Illinois WIU
16-26
7
Final
8
IOWA IOWA
27-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 7 9 1
IOWA IOWA 0 1 0 4 0 3 0 0 X 8 11 1

W: Davitt, Duncan (2-1) L: Carberry, Jack (5-3) S: Leonard, Grant (11)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Leathernecks Fall in Mirror Setbacks

For the second time in as many games, Western fell 8-7 despite furious comeback attempts.

IOWA CITY, IOWA – For the second time in as many games, the Western Illinois baseball team fell a run short of completing a comeback in mirror 8-7 decisions. 

The Leathernecks took on Iowa Wednesday (May 1) at Duane Banks Field, and loaded the bases in the ninth inning to plate two. 

"We talked about staying pitch to pitch. When we do that we're really good, but again we've got to eliminate free bases, and our two-strike approach needs to get better," said head coach Ryan Brownlee. "Those are the two phases of the game, that when we've done well, we've been on the right side of the scoreboard. 

"We stayed with it and took advantage of most of our opportunities to put pressure on them. There's always the small things, but we're starting to show flashes offensively of what I thought we would be. The guys are starting to come out of it; it's taken some a while, but better late than never." 
 
The ball lost in the right-center gap, CJ Schaeffer Jr. turned on the jets for his second career triple, and it resulted in his second RBI of the evening. The Leatherneck catcher took advantage of head's up base running by Kevin Raisbeck in the first inning (rounding the bases on a single, failed pickoff and wild pitch), and an RBI single provided the visitors their early lead. 
 
Western's 3-1 edge spiraled into a 5-3 deficit in the next frame after a fielding error and four hits, but the comeback began in the seventh. In its 8-7 setback at North Dakota State, the team scored five unanswered down the stretch. On Wednesday, they scored four. 
 
Javin Drake pitched a no-decision in his 12th start of the season, going 2.0 innings for two hits and a run. Seven stood on the mound for Western, and Connor Rektorkski was No. 7. He crowned the game in his third appearance on the year and recorded a groundout and strikeout before Schaeffer ended things by catching a runner stealing. 
 
The Leathernecks are back in the thick of their Summit League schedule this weekend in a trip to Oral Roberts. 
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