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Western Illinois University Athletics

Baseball
Rachael Keating
3
Winner OMAHA OMAHA 17-18
2
Western Illinois WIU 4-30
Winner
OMAHA OMAHA
17-18
3
Final
2
Western Illinois WIU
4-30
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
OMAHA OMAHA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 7 0
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 11 1

W: Tyler Mattingley (1-0) L: Carberry, Jack (0-5)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Warkentien’s Great Outing Not Enough Versus Omaha

Jace Warkentien tied his career-high with eight innings, but a late rally gave the Mavericks game one.

MACOMB, ILL.- Western Illinois baseball (2-11, 4-30) fell in extra innings in its series opener to the Omaha Mavericks (8-5, 17-18) by a final score of 3-2. Western Illinois was six outs away from a win, but a pair of homers sent the game to extra innings, where Omaha scored the go-ahead run in the 10th.
 
Western Illinois started the game great offensively with five hits in the first two innings, but baserunning mistakes got Omaha out of a pair of early jams.
 
Western Illinois managed to score a pair in the bottom of the sixth for the game's first runs. Diego Munoz led the inning off with a walk and got to second on a wild pitch. Dillon Sears advanced Munoz to third on a bunt single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Kory Olsen got WIU on the board with a groundout to give the Leathernecks the game's first run. Later in the inning, Matt Santarelli squeezed a single to left between the third baseman and shortstop to score Sears, putting Western Illinois ahead 2-0.
 
Jace Warkentien was dominant on the mound for the Leathernecks. After allowing the leadoff batter to reach on a single, Warkentien didn't allow another hit until the seventh. The hit would be a double to center to give the Mavericks a runner in scoring position. Omaha's next batter lined a single to center, and Omaha gambled by sending their runner home. However, he was gunned down on a throw from Olsen to keep Omaha off the board.
 
Western Illinois had an opportunity to extend the lead in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with just one out. However, a strikeout and fly-out would get Omaha out of the inning with no runs surrendered. The missed opportunity proved costly, as Omaha hit back-to-back home runs to begin the eighth and tie the game at 2-2.
 
Both teams failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position in the ninth, sending the game into extra innings. Omaha put a man on with a one-out walk in the top of the 10th, and the next batter lined a double just by the glove of CJ Richmond into right field. A fielding error on the double gave Omaha a chance to send their baserunner home, giving the Mavericks a 3-2 lead. Western Illinois' lone baserunner was caught stealing in the bottom of the 10th, and a strikeout officially gave Omaha the 3-2 win.
 
Jace Warkentien gave Western Illinois a great outing in his start, tying his career-high with eight innings pitched. Warkentien did give up the two long balls and a double to begin the eighth, but he kept his composure and got WIU out of the inning with the game still tied.
 
Multiple Leathernecks had great days at the plate, led by a 3-3 game from Dillon Sears. The three-hit day gave Sears his 10th multi-hit game of the season and his second with at least three hits. Matt Santarelli finished 2-5 and drove in his eighth run of the season. Nick Mitchell went 2-5 in the leadoff spot, and Derek Botaletto went 2-4 in the nine-hole.
 
The series versus Omaha continues tomorrow at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium at 2 p.m.
 
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