West Central Reporter

Western Illinois Leatherneck baseball team began their 2025 season with a doubleheader against Murray State at Capaha Field. The Leathernecks were unable to secure a win, losing both games in the neutral-site matchup.

In the first game, Western Illinois scored five runs on ten hits. Kenneth Perez led the offense by going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Trevor Leon also performed well, reaching base four times and scoring twice. Despite these efforts, the team's pitching struggled. Starter Max Tripure took the loss after giving up eight runs on eight hits in three innings. The bullpen showed improvement as Karsten Stotlar and others allowed only two runs over five innings, but it was not enough to recover from the early deficit.

The second game saw Western Illinois' offense limited to just two hits in a seven-inning contest. Murray State's pitchers struck out nine batters while issuing only one walk. On the mound for Western Illinois, starter Harrison Dubois lasted four innings, allowing five runs on six hits. The bullpen faltered further, conceding nine runs in the fifth inning.

With these losses, Western Illinois starts their season at 0-2. They aim to improve as they continue their road trip with upcoming games against New Mexico State from February 21-23 in Las Cruces.

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