Box Score (PDF)

MACOMB, Ill. The Western Illinois University baseball team scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh-inning to beat North Dakota State, 7-6, in the second game of a three-game Summit League series on Saturday, March 19, at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium in Macomb, Ill.

With the loss, NDSU drops to 10-7 overall and 1-1 in Summit League play, while Western Illinois moves to 3-14 overall and 1-1 in league action.

Junior Ben Petersen went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Bison. Sophomore Mason Pierzchalski tallied a pair of hits, including a double, and two RBIs, while senior Juan Gamez also compiled two RBIs.

Sophomore left-hander Blake Stockert (0-1) suffered the loss on the mound for NDSU after allowing two unearned runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

The Bison jumped out to a 4-1 lead after scoring four runs in the top of the third. Petersen hit an RBI single to right center for NDSU's first run of the inning, before Pierzchalski plated the second run of the frame on an infield single. Gamez scored the final two runs of the inning on a two-RBI single through the left side.

The Leathernecks cut the lead to 4-3 with a trio of runs in the bottom-half of the third, but the Bison scored two in the top of the fourth on Petersen's RBI double to center and Pierzchalski's RBI ground out to push their lead to 6-3.

Western Illinois trailed 6-5 entering the seventh-inning after scoring a run in the fifth. A fielding error on a bunt single to lead-off the inning allowed WIU's Roman Visintine to advance to third base with no outs, before another Bison throwing error allowed him to score and tie the contest with two outs in the frame. Conner Currier plated what proved to be the winning run on a RBI single through the left side during the next at bat.

Currier went a perfect 4-of-4 in the batter's box and tallied four RBIs to lead Western Illinois.

Nick Milligan (2-0) posted the win on the mound for WIU after tossing two innings of relief and allowing no hits.

North Dakota State and Western Illinois are scheduled to conclude the three-game series with a single game on Sunday, March 20, at 1 p.m. in Macomb.