FARGO, N.D. – The Western Illinois University Leathernecks (12-25, 7-13 Summit League) tallied seven runs on 10 hits to help defeat the North Dakota State University baseball team (10-26, 4-16 Summit League) on Saturday, April 25, in game two of a three-game Summit League series in front of 151 spectators at Newman Outdoor Field.

The Bison and Leathernecks are scheduled to conclude the series with a game at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 26.

Jon Hechtner led the Bison offensively in the contest, going 2-for-4 with a RBI, while Juan Gamez smashed his team-high seventh homer of the season. Drew Fearing and Ben Petersen also each collected a pair of hits in the game.

Southpaw Trent Keefer took the loss on the mound for the Bison after giving up three earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks in five and a third innings.

Western Illinois tallied three runs in the top of the second to gain an early 3-0 lead, before the Bison cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third on a Hechtner RBI single.

The Bison pulled within 3-2 the next inning when Gamez sent a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence. The Leathernecks answered, though, scoring a pair of runs in the fifth to increase their lead to 5-2.

Western Illinois added one run in the sixth and eighth and held the Bison scoreless to secure the victory.

Chris Tschida went 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored to lead the Leatherneck offense, while LHP Tom Constand tallied the win on the mound for WIU after surrendering two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks in seven innings pitched.