West Central Reporter

WIU Falls at Illinois State

The Western Illinois Baseball team was defeated 6-1 by Illinois State on Wednesday (Mar. 15) afternoon at Duffy Bass Field.

The Leathernecks could not get the bats rolling, totaling seven hits on the afternoon.

Western Illinois threatened early in the ball game. With two outs in the first inning, Jake Allgeyer doubled to left-center to give WIU an early runner in scoring position, but WIU would a fly out to end the inning. Cade Herrmann got his first start for WIU and came dealing in the first. Herrmann would start with a strikeout on his way to a one-two-three first inning.

The offense would quiet down for the Leathernecks as Illinois State would retire the next eight Leatherneck hitters before J.R. Heavilin would draw a walk in the top of the fourth. Illinois State used free passes to score runs in the second and the third, leading to a 3-0 lead. Illinois State would add two more runs in the fifth to pull out in front 5-0.

WIU's offense would try to get back into the game starting in the sixth. Max Slavens and Allgeyer would get back-to-back singles to get a runner in scoring position, but a strike out and line out would end the WIU threat. Illinois State would add one more run to their total in the bottom half of the eighth as they would get an RBI double to put them in front 6-0.

WIU's offense would put together a late rally in the ninth. Heavilin would have his first hit of the afternoon with a one-out single to center. After a ground out advanced Heavilin to second, Derek Botaletto would lay down a bunt that he would beat out for an infield single, advancing Heavilin to third. Chase VanDerGinst would bring Heavilin in with a double to cut the deficit to five (6-1). 

Chase VanDerGinst led the Leathernecks with two hits and an RBI. Jake Allgeyer also had two hits on the afternoon. J.R. Heavilin would be the only Leatherneck to draw a walk for WIU. The Leathernecks stole just one base as a team. WIU used five pitchers, with Aron Harrington going two scoreless innings in relief.

WIU will be back in action this weekend with a three-game series against Southeast Missouri State. The first pitch of the three-game series is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday (Mar. 17). 

Original source can be found here