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Western Illinois University Athletics

WIU Baseball
Rachael Keating
6
SIUE SIUE 16-24, 8-7 OVC
7
Winner Western Illinois WIU 8-27, 4-11 OVC
SIUE SIUE
16-24, 8-7 OVC
6
Final
7
Western Illinois WIU
8-27, 4-11 OVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
SIUE SIUE 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 6 9 1
Western Illinois WIU 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 7 13 1

W: Telford, Mason (2-2) L: MCKILLOP, Liam (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Cesar Franco's Late Game Heroics Sealed Western Illinois Win

MACOMB, IL – Cesar Franco called his shot in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Leathernecks scored five runs in the final inning, capping off a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over SIUE. Western Illinois collected their eighth overall win in the season and fourth in the Ohio Valley.

SIUE struck first as they crossed a run across the plate in the first and second innings, and they would go ahead 2-0. WIU did not trail for long as they plated a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second inning. Liam Bushey singled through the right side, giving WIU a leadoff base runner. Back-to-back flyouts for the Leathernecks put the Leathernecks back against the wall. WIU accepted the challenge. Trevor Leon reached on a fielding error by the SIUE pitcher, advancing Bushey to second base. Brock Lummus drove in the first run as he pushed a ball the opposite way into right field, driving in Bushey. Max Slavens kept the train moving, shooting a ball into left field, scoring Leon as WIU tied the game at 2-2.

WIU's offense stayed relatively quiet throughout the middle innings of Sunday's ball game. SIUE took advantage as they scored a run in the fourth inning and three in the eighth, taking a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth. WIU's offense would not go down quietly for the third consecutive day in the final half inning. J.R. Heavilin started the inning with a single to center field. He would advance on a wild pitch into a scoring position. Brock Lummus advanced him 90 feet with a single. Max Slavens stayed hot in the nine-hole, pulling a ball down the right field line, bringing in Heavilin to cut the deficit to 6-3. Adam Juran kept the train moving, beating out an infield single to cut the Cougar lead to 6-4. Cesar Franco would step to the plate as the go-ahead, and he ensured he was the game's last batter. Franco belted the go-ahead three-run walk off home run over the right field fence as WIU claimed the 7-6 victory.

Brock Lummus and Max Slavens were a huge boost at the bottom of the Western Illinois lineup as they both collected three hits. Lummus and Slavens both collected three of the seven RBI for WIU. Adam Juan collected two hits in the leadoff spot and an RBI. Cesar Franco had three RBI on his home run. Kyree Alexander, Liam Bushey, and J.R. Heavilin also collected hits on the day.

Western Illinois stays in-state for a midweek battle against Big Ten opponent Illinois on Tuesday.
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