West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's baseball team faced a tough loss against Northern Kentucky, falling 11-2 in their series opener on Friday afternoon. The defeat places WIU at 3-8 for the season.

The game began earlier than scheduled due to impending weather, marking the second time in four weeks that such a change occurred. Despite this adjustment, WIU's offense struggled initially, with Adam Juran securing the only hit in the early innings. Northern Kentucky capitalized on this sluggish start by scoring three runs in the first inning, one in the second, and another three in the fourth, establishing a 6-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, Western Illinois managed to score two runs. Chris Hege initiated this effort with a walk and advanced on a wild pitch. Maxton Polad also walked, placing two runners on base. Following a flyout by Cesar Franco and another wild pitch from Northern Kentucky, Juran drew another walk to load the bases. Liam Bushey then delivered an RBI sacrifice fly that allowed Hege to score. Kyree Alexander contributed an RBI single, bringing Polad home and narrowing the gap to 6-2.

However, Northern Kentucky extended their lead further in the sixth and seventh innings by adding five more runs, concluding with an 11-2 victory.

Throughout the game, Western Illinois accumulated four hits from players Adam Juran, Kyree Alexander, Reece Davis, and Max Slavens. Bushey and Alexander were credited with RBIs while Chris Hege reached base three times through walks. Overall, WIU earned seven walks during the match.

The Leathernecks are set to face Northern Kentucky again tomorrow at noon.