Western Courier

Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Sacasa Junior infielder Cole Waddell pinch hit Tuesday, knocking in a run off of a sacrifice fly to right field in the fourth inning.

Media Credit: Adam Sacasa Senior Frank Zenisek pitched four innings against Robert Morris College Wednesday, giving up only two hits while walking one.

For the second time in as many attempts, the Leathernecks baseball team has defeated a Top 10 opponent.

Western Illinois (6-14) knocked off No. 4 Missouri (20-6) Tuesday night, 5-3. The upset victory managed to top the 'Necks' win over No. 7/9 Long Beach State from March 11 and marks the first time any program in Western athletics history has beaten two Top 10 teams in the same season.

"I guess in the overall picture when we beat Long Beach, it was kind of like when Appalachian State beat Michigan in football," said coach Stan Hyman. "It was a major deal, the biggest win in Appalachian State history, and that was the biggest win in Western history, but people still walk away from it and say it was a fluke.

"When we beat Missouri the other night, I've gotten literally hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from coaches around the country and our alumni that said, 'Hey, this isn't a fluke if you beat two teams in the Top 10 of the country in the same year. You have some major talent, and you have to be doing something right. You can't just get lucky twice.' And I think that's very true."

Senior Ben Percival started the game for the Leathernecks and overmatched the Tigers' lineup, giving up only one run in 6.1 innings pitched. Percival struck out seven and walked three to earn his first win of the season.

"The word was that (the Tigers) all stood on the plate," Hyman said. "They all crowded the plate, and you needed somebody who could throw hard inside but not hit them.

That is exactly what Percival did for seven innings - they just couldn't touch him. He was really shutting them down."

After Missouri stacked its lineup with lefties to face Percival, Hyman brought out the 'Necks' left-handed pitcher from the bullpen, senior Justin Eissens, to close out the game. Eissens put the unprecedented win in jeopardy in the late innings after he walked two batters in the ninth, threw a wild pitch and hit a batter. The Tigers could not take advantage of Eissens' control issues and ended the game on a long fly out to left field.

Western's defense never faltered with the pressure and played all nine innings without committing an error.

"The guys made all the plays and gutted it out and again. It was error free baseball," Hyman said. "It is pitching and defense that wins championships, and it was pitching and defense that beat Long Beach State, and it was pitching and defense that beat Missouri. Pitching and defense will win in the Summit (League)."

Offensively, the Leathernecks did just enough to win by successfully playing their game. With a little bit of small ball and situational hitting, Western put up nine hits, eight of which came against Missouri starter Greg Folgia, who only lasted 3.1 innings.

'Necks junior outfielder Zach Berg came through big in his first start of the season. He went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored and jumped on the Tigers' pitchers early, contributing his RBI in the 'Necks' three-run second inning.

"Because it was a mid-week game, we had some guys who couldn't travel and some guys who couldn't get there until later," Hyman said. "(Seniors) Brett Pendall and T.J. Kistner had to drive down later to the game so Zach Berg got a start, and Berg was enormous."

vs. Robert Morris College

The Leathernecks had little time after their thrilling win over Missouri before playing at home against Robert Morris Wednesday afternoon.

The mid-week game was added to the schedule earlier this week and proved to be a warm-up before conference play begins this weekend. The 'Necks topped the Eagles 5-0, which gives Western five straight victories.

The Eagles (3-21) played without their biggest offensive threat, infielder Bill Storrs, and had little answer to the Leatherneck pitching staff without him.

Western senior Frank Zenisek made his second start of the season and pitched four innings of two-hit ball. An array of pitchers worked in the shutout, highlighted by senior closer Todd Nelson's first appearance at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium this year.

Junior third baseman Drew Laidig led the Leathernecks offensively, putting out a laser shot home run in his first appearance of the game. He sent in another RBI on a sacrifice fly to right field in the third inning.

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