Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Baseball
Sarah Ritter
2
North Dakota State NDSU 17-9
6
Winner Western Illinois WIU 3-21
North Dakota State NDSU
17-9
2
Final
6
Western Illinois WIU
3-21
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
North Dakota State NDSU 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 3 2
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 X 6 9 2

W: Kratz, Caden (1-2) L: Sankey (3-3) S: Carberry, Jack (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Baseball Wins First Conference Game In Finale Versus North Dakota State

A pair of three-run innings helped Western Illinois take game three 6-2.

MACOMB ILL.- Western Illinois baseball (1-5, 3-21) used a strong defensive effort to take game three over North Dakota State (5-1, 17-9), defeating the Bison 6-2. A pair of three-run innings helped give the Leathernecks all the offense they needed to earn their first Summit League victory of the 2022 season.
 
Brian Raymond pitched four shutout innings to begin the afternoon, allowing just one hit, a walk and struck out a pair. First baseman Gage Cruz made a highlight defensive play in the top of the fourth. Cruz jumped to his right to field a sharp one-hopper bare-handed to rob NDSU of a hit.
 
The fourth inning continued to be a great inning for the Leathernecks, scoring three runs to take the lead. A pair of singles put runners on first and second with one out, which set up Adam Juran, who dropped a single into left-center to score CJ Richmond and put WIU up 1-0. Max Slavens then dropped a bunt right on the first baseline that was called fair to score Derek Botaletto to put the Leathernecks up two. Nick Mitchell capped off the inning with a fielder's choice RBI to put Western Illinois up 3-0.
 
Caden Kratz and Bryan Rumping kept North Dakota State off the board in the fifth and the sixth, and the Leatherneck offense took advantage of mistakes by the Bison pitching staff in the sixth. A walk, bunt single and hit by pitch loaded the bases with no outs, and another fielder's choice RBI from Mitchell put Western Illinois up 4-0. A passed ball and wild pitch brought in two more runs, putting the Leathernecks up 6-0.
 
Rumping got the first two Bison batters out quickly in the top of the seventh, but a pair of walks and an error by WIU loaded the bases. Western Illinois made a pitching change, but back-to-back bases-loaded walks gave NDSU their first two runs of the contest. Toby Allred managed to make a diving catch at third on a pop-up to get the Leathernecks out of the jam, still up four.
 
North Dakota State had two runners on with one out in the eighth, but a pair of groundouts kept the Bison off the board. Jack Carberry got NDSU to go 1-2-3 in the ninth to give Western Illinois the victory.
 
Caden Kratz earned his first win as a Leatherneck for his shutout inning of work. Jack Carberry earned his second career save, pitching the final 2.1 innings, allowing no runs, one hit, and ending with two strikeouts. The pitching staff had its best outing of the season, holing North Dakota State to just three hits, the fewest allowed by WIU this season. The two runs allowed is also a season-low for Western Illinois.
 
Adam Juran and Nick Mitchell led the Leathernecks offensively, each ending with a pair of hits. Juran went 2-3 with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. Mitchell finished 2-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Derek Botaletto also had a solid outing, going 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
 
Western Illinois will be back at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium on Wednesday (April 6) for a single game contest with in-state rival Illinois State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.
 
Print Friendly Version