MACOMB, IL – The Western Illinois baseball team swept Saturday's doubleheader against the Lindenwood Lions 7-1 and 2-0. WIU earns win number nine and ten overall and improves to 6-11 in Ohio Valley play.

GAME 1

After rain pushed back the opening game of the three-game set against Lindenwood to Saturday, Western Illinois bats came prepared. After two scoreless innings, Western Illinois got on the scoreboard thanks to Cesar Franco. Chris Hege started the inning with a leadoff single to center field. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brock Lummus. Max Slavens drew a one-out walk, giving WIU two runners on the base paths. With two outs, Cesar Franco lined a ball the opposite way for a two-run double as WIU claimed an early 2-0 lead.

Lindenwood cut the deficit in half with a run at the bottom of the fifth, but Western Illinois responded in the sixth. Liam Bushey started the two-out rally with a single, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. J.R. Heavilin stayed clutch as he drove a ball to the shortstop, scoring Bushey as WIU increased their lead to 3-1. The Leathernecks added an insurance run in the seventh inning with a one-out as Lummus doubled, and Slavens brought him around with an RBI single.

Franco put the finishing touches in the ninth as he smacked a three-run home run, giving WIU a 7-1 lead. Jason Buhl did it all in game one as he pitched a complete game well, striking out five batters.

GAME 2

Western Illinois found themselves in a dogfight in the second game of the doubleheader. Tied at 0 heading into the fourth inning, the Leathernecks cracked through the Lion's shell. Cesar Franco earned the free pass as a pitch hit him. Franco advanced 90 feet on a Kyree Alexander single to left field. A fielder's choice advanced both 90 feet further, and J.R. Heavilin had the clutch RBI single to put the Leathernecks in front.

WIU's defense stayed intact as they pitched a shutout on Saturday night. WIU used an insurance run in the 8th inning to pull away for good. Alexander walked and moved to second base on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on a single and was driven in by Trevor Leon on a sacrifice fly.

Western Illinois pitching was lights out in game two. Tyler Kapruan got the start, going seven complete innings with six strikeouts. He handed the ball over to Caden Kratz, who was locked down in the eighth and ninth innings, picking up the six-out save.

J.R. Heavilin led the team with four combined hits in the doubleheader. He went 3-4 in game two with an RBI. Cesar Franco had a big game, going 2-5 with a double and a home run well, driving in five runs. Liam Bushey, Brock Lummus, and Max Slavens had multiple hits on the day. 

Western Illinois looks for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon, taking on the Lions at 1:00 p.m.