Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Baseball
Rachael Keating
15
Winner Illinois State ILS 12-11
7
Western Illinois WIU 3-22
Winner
Illinois State ILS
12-11
15
Final
7
Western Illinois WIU
3-22
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Illinois State ILS 1 3 0 1 4 4 0 0 2 15 9 1
Western Illinois WIU 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 7 10 3

W: Schubert, Justin (1-1) L: Greenan, Jacob (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Munoz’s Big Day Not Enough Versus Illinois State

Munoz tied his career-high with three hits in Wednesday's loss.

MACOMB, ILL.- Western Illinois baseball (3-22) got contributions from many different areas of the lineup, but it wasn't enough as they dropped their single-game contest to the Illinois State Redbirds (12-11) 13-7.
 
Illinois State drew a walk during their first at-bat of the game and scored him two batters later with a double to left to go up 1-0. Western Illinois loaded the bases with three two-out walks in their half of the first, but a groundout to first got the Redbirds out of the jam.
 
An error and pair of walks loaded the bases for Illinois State in the top of the second, and a wild pitch brought in their second run of the afternoon. Back-to-back walks drove in another run for the Redbirds, and Western Illinois was forced to make a pitching change. A passed ball during Illinois State's next at-bat scored their third run of the inning to take a 4-0 lead.
 
Diego Munoz led off the bottom of the second with a single and got to second on a stolen base. After Max Slavens reached on a hit by pitch, Nick Mitchell drove in Munoz on a single to left to put WIU on the board. Illinois State answered in the top of the fourth using a one-out double and single to center to score a run to take a 5-1 advantage.
 
The Leathernecks surrendered three straight walks to begin the fifth, and after a pitching change, the Redbirds used one big swing for a grand slam to take a 9-1 lead. The same batter hit another grand slam in the sixth, putting Illinois State up 13-1.
 
Western Illinois didn't hang their heads and used a three-run sixth to get some momentum back on their side. Gage Cruz led the inning off with a double and later advanced to second on a walk from Munoz. Jackson Hugus came in as a pinch hitter and slapped a grounder just beyond the third baseman to score Cruz for WIU's second run of the contest. Slavens drew a walk to load the bases, then back-to-back walks drawn by Sam Maddox, and Matt Santarelli drove in a pair of runs to make the score 13-4.
 
Cruz continued his great day at the plate in the seventh with another leadoff double and scored thanks to a single from Derek Botaletto. Munoz then sent a ball 400 plus feet to dead center for a two-run home run to get Western Illinois back within six.
 
Western Illinois couldn't muster up any more runs in the seventh or eighth, and another two-run home run by Illinois State's DH gave him his third home run of the contest to give them a 15-7 lead.
 
Diego Munoz entered the game without a hit all season but had a career day versus the Redbirds. Munoz went 3-3 with a double, home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored. It's Munoz's third three-hit performance in his career and his fifth home run as a Leatherneck.
 
Three other Leathernecks ended with two hits each. Gage Cruz finished 2-4 with his two doubles, two runs scored, and a walk. Nick Mitchell went 2-3 with an RBI, and Derek Botaletto went 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Western Illinois gets back to conference play this weekend for a three-game series at South Dakota State from Friday (April 8) through Sunday (April 10).
 
Print Friendly Version