Western Illinois Bests Mavericks in Opener, 3-1

Friday, April 28

Macomb, Ill.

3:00 PM

Omaha

10-31, 7-12

Western Illinois

16-23, 11-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Omaha	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	1
Western Illinois	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	X	3	4	1

Western Illinois Bests Mavericks in Opener, 3-1

Apr 29, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Omaha Athletics

MACOMB, Ill. -- The Omaha baseball team opened its weekend series at Western Illinois Friday afternoon, falling 3-1 at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. The Mavericks are now 10-31 (7-12 Summit League), while the Leathernecks improve to 16-23 (11-8).

WIU's Ian Koch (5-2) earned the win, scattering five hits and allowing one run and seven walks with six strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Sam Murphy (3-6) took the loss, surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out seven in 8.0 innings. Pete Minella recorded his fourth save of the year for the Leathernecks, holding Omaha to one hit and a walk over the last 2.1 innings.

Murphy did not allow a Leatherneck baserunner after the third, retiring 16 straight batters to finish the game.

Jack Kalina was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored.

Western opened to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Steve McShane led off with a double to right center, stole two bases and scored on Chris Tschida's sacrifice fly to right.

Omaha responded with a run of its own in the top of the third. Kalina reached with a leadoff double to left, advanced to third on a Sam Palensky sacrifice bunt and scored on Cole Thibodeau's RBI bunt single, which stalled the game at 1-1.

The Leathernecks struck immediately in the bottom half of the frame, though, pushing across a pair of runs on three hits and an error. Cord Church doubled to left center to lead off the inning, advanced on a McShane sacrifice bunt and scored on Drue Galassi's RBI single up the middle. Galassi then stole second and advanced on an errant Maverick throw on the next play, and he came in with Tschida's two-out RBI single to left to make it 3-1. Murphy closed the inning with a strikeout and never allowed another Leatherneck on base from the fourth through the eighth innings.

Omaha threatened in the seventh, as Palensky, Thibodeau and Ryan Cate drew three consecutive two-out walks to load the bases. But the Leathernecks brought in Minella to relieve Koch, and he worked around the jam with an inning-ending flyout. The Mavericks managed a runner in the eighth and ninth innings but stranded them each time as WIU went on to the win, 3-1.

Tschida led the Leathernecks at the plate, finishing 1-for-2 with two runs driven in.

Omaha and Western Illinois continue their series on Saturday, April 29, with first pitch at 1 p.m. in Macomb, Ill. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and links to live stats, audio and video will be available on OMavs.com.