MACOMB, Ill. - Seniors
Rich Mascheri and Dustin Hunter both
tossed complete games and Western Illinois (15-29-1, 5-14) swept
a doubleheader over IPFW (14-33,
6-13) Saturday (May 5) at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
Game One
Western Illinois 5, IPFW 0
A stellar complete game effort by Rich Mascheri
propelled Western Illinois to a 5-0 victory in Game One. Mascheri allowed two
hits and struck out six Mastodons over nine dominant innings. He faced 29
batters and threw 118 pitches overall.
Mascheri (2-7) allowed his first hit in the fourth but Matt Igara
threw out Carter DeBoe at home to end the inning. Mascheri finished the game by
retiring 12 consecutive batters.
Dan Dispensa had two hits and scored a run while Igara
singled in a run and scored in the first inning. Nick Milligan, Manny Reyes and Austin Cowen also drove in
runs for the Fighting Leathernecks. Ryan Cowhey singled, stole a base and
scored two runs.
Western Illinois got on the scoreboard first with two runs
in the third inning. Cowhey reached on an error and stole third base one batter
later. Cowhey scored on Igara's single to left field and Igara advanced to
second on a balk. Milligan then drove home Igara on a single to center field.
Dispensa tripled with one out in the fifth inning. With
Cowen at the plate, Jason Kalber threw a wild pitch and Dispensa trotted home
to extend the Western Illinois lead to 3-0.
Western Illinois added an insurance run in the seventh
inning. Cowhey led off with a single down the left field line and advanced to
third on a wild pitch one batter later. Cowen drove Cowhey home on a sacrifice fly
to centerfield.
Kalber (4-8) started for IPFW and allowed four runs (three
earned) and six hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked two
Leathernecks.
Game Two
Western Illinois 4, IPFW 1
Dustin Hunter struck out 15 batters, which is second most all-time, in a seven-inning complete
game effort and Western Illinois used a big second inning to win Game Two, 4-1.
Hunter (4-4) allowed five hits, including a solo home run, and
walked three Mastodons in a strong effort. He struck out five consecutive
batters in the fourth and fifth innings.
Cowhey singled in a run while Brent Turner walked in a run
and scored. Igara, Steve Kedroski and Milligan all scored runs for Western
Illinois. Igara's single in the fourth inning extended his
hit streak (nine games) and reached base streak (18 contests).
Western Illinois sent nine batters to the plate and scored
four runs on only two hits in the second inning. Igara walked and a pitch hit Kedroski
before Milligan singled to load the bases. Turner walked in a run and two
scored on Shane Trevino's fielding error at first base. After Danny Marcuzzo
struck out swinging, Turner scored on Cowhey's single to left field.
Malcolm White homered to leadoff the sixth inning to put
IPFW on the scoreboard for the first time. Hunter responded by striking out two
more Mastodons to extend his total to 14.
Hunter struck out Kristian Gayday to start the seventh
inning but allowed a one-out double and walked Calen Fenimore to put the tying
run at home plate. Lucas Salerno grounded into a double play to end the game.
Kyle Sorensen (1-4) took the loss for IPFW after allowing
four runs (one earned) over 1 1/3 innings. Danny Tursell threw 3 2/3 scoreless
innings out of the bullpen for the Mastodons.
The two teams wrap up the series Sunday (May 6) with first
pitch set for noon, as the Fighting Leathernecks celebrate Senior Day before
the final home game of the season.
#WIUAthletics
