WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Illinois State 7,
@Western Illinois 4
@Ohio State 13,
Morehead State 7
Lindenwood 11, @Bradley 9
ILLINOIS STATE 7, WESTERN ILLINOIS 4
MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois Baseball team dropped an in-state battle with Missouri Valley foe Illinois State on Wednesday afternoon. The Leathernecks found themselves down early and could not climb out of the hole as they fell 7-4. WIU moves to 6-22 on the season.
Western Illinois found themselves down early as the Redbirds struck for a run in the first and second innings, leading 2-0. After a shutdown inning by Cole Dale in the third, the Leathernecks bats started to heat up. Trevor Leon singled to right field, giving WIU their first base hit of the day. Leon advanced to second on a ground out by Chris Hege, and Kyree Alexander drove him in with a two-out single to center field as the Leathernecks trimmed the deficit in half.
Illinois State responded with three runs in the top of the fourth, but Western Illinois had a response. Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth, WIU put together four hits to score three runs, closing the gap to a one-run game. Jackson Horn got the rally started by working a one-out walk. Hege followed him with a single to right field, advancing Horn. Alexander once again delivered with a runner in scoring position, sending a ball over the right fielder's head for an RBI double. Western Illinois kept the foot on the gas pedal as Grant Palmer sent a ball back up the middle, driving in Hege and Alexander as WIU cut it to a one-run game (5-4). Palmer advanced to second on a passed ball and to third on an infield single by Bushey, but a double play wiped away any further scoring opportunity.
In the sixth inning, Western Illinois paired together back-to-back two-out singles, giving them a scoring opportunity. With two outs, Chris Hege lined a ball to right field. Leon rounded third as the Redbird right fielder gathered and threw it to the plate, beating Leon by half a step for out number three.
Illinois State would put the game to bed with a pair of runs in the seventh inning as Western Illinois fell 7-4.
Chris Hege and Kyree Alexander were sparks at the top of the Leathernecks lineup. The one and two hitters combined to tally four hits of the Leatherneck's ten hits, as well as draw a walk and drive in two. Grant Palmer had the two other RBI on his one hit. The Leathernecks only had two walks as a team. Western Illinois pitching staff saw eight strikeouts as they used seven different arms.
OHIO STATE 13, MOREHEAD STATE 7
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Morehead State baseball got a strong performance out of senior Ryley Preece, who recorded two extra base hits in a 13-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday.
Freshman Bradley Poynter (1-1) got the ball to start for Morehead State (17-15) and took the loss. Sophomore Hunter Porter was a bright spot for the Eagles, coming out of the bullpen and throwing one scoreless inning, allowing no hits, with no walks and three strikeouts.
Preece's two extra base hits were the highlight of a 2-for-3 day, and included a double, a home run, a walk and an RBI. Roman Kuntz put together a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 1-for-4 with his OVC best 16th home run and two RBI, moving his total to 44 on the season -- also first in the OVC. Senior Logan Castleman also contributed for the Eagles, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding two RBI.
The Eagles got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. Morehead State plated two runs when Kuntz left the yard with Nick Gooden aboard.
The Eagles lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the third trailing 5-2. Preece came across to score the lone run of the inning for Morehead State, which tightened the Buckeyes lead to 5-3.
Ohio State expanded their lead to 7-3 before the Morehead State offense got back in action, reducing that lead to 7-6 in the fifth. The Eagles recorded three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-run single off the bat of Castleman.
The Buckeyes expanded their lead to 13-6 before the Morehead State offense got back in gear, cutting into that lead in the ninth. The Eagles drove in a run on Preece's two-out solo homer off junior Noah Williamson, tightening the Ohio State lead to 13-7. The ballgame ended with that ninth inning rally falling short.
LINDENWOOD 11, BRADLEY 9
PEORIA, Ill. - The Lindenwood baseball team (11-21) picked up an 11-9 win over Bradley (10-19) in midweek action from Peoria, Ill.
Lindenwood jumped on Bradley early as Filip Sarota drove in a pair of runs with a single to give the Lions a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Braves answered right back with two of their own to even the score at 2 apiece after one.
Bradley scored one in the third to regain a 3-2 lead, but Aaron Jungers was able to pitch out of a jam to keep it a one run ballgame. This allowed Lindenwood to knot things up at three in the top of the fourth after some clutch two-out hitting from Chase Honeycutt as he drove in Sarota. The Lions manufactured a run in the fifth with Kam Edwards and Logan Stevens pulling off a double steal, scoring Edwards, putting Lindenwood up 4-3.
Lindenwood kept the pressure on with four more runs in the sixth. Evan Funkhouser doubled home Honeycutt, while three more runs scored on an error, growing the lead to 8-3. Bradley added another run in the sixth to make it 8-4 and had the pressure on in the seventh. Easton Rakers came on in the inning and got a key double play with the bases loaded to keep the Lions in front by four.
The Braves kept chipping away with two more in the eighth, cutting the deficit to 8-6. Dawson Hokuf led off the ninth with his team leading fourth homer of the year, pushing the lead back to three. After a Bryson Arnette single, Sarota hit a two-run homer, his third knock of the night, making the score 11-6. Bradley picked up three in the ninth, but Carson Subbert shut the door as Lindenwood earned the 11-9 win.