MACOMB, Ill. - Dan Savas tallied a career-best 14 strikeouts but suffered his second complete-game defeat in three weeks as Illinois State (29-14, 10-5 MVC) fell at Western Illinois (16-23, 9-7 Summit), 2-1, Friday afternoon at Boyer Stadium. The Redbirds mustered just four hits and left 12 men on base in the loss.
Savas (7-3) worked eight innings of two-run ball and walked zero batters. His 14 strikeouts topped his career-best by two and set a season-high for strikeouts thrown by a Redbird hurler this spring. Nick Milligan (3-0) worked three-plus innings of shutout relief for the win and Tyler Owings (4) secured the final three outs for the save.
Illinois State broke a 0-0 tie with a single run in the second inning. Mike Hollenbeck opened the frame with a single and advanced to third base on Brock Stewart's double off the wall in right center. Two batters later, Sean Beesley bounced out to second base to score Hollenbeck. Stewart was stranded at third base to end the frame. The Redbirds had bases-load opportunities in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but could not push across another run.
Savas tallied multi-strikeout innings in the second, third, fifth, sixth and eighth innings. The Leathernecks rallied to load the bases with one out in the fifth inning, but Savas struck out Zack Burling and Jameson Henning to end the threat. A pair of singles, coupled with an error byDennis Colon, gave WIU a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the seventh inning. Burling's two-run single to left field put Western Illinois on top for good.
Western Illinois starter Tyler Willman allowed one run on four hits with 10 strikeouts for a no-decision. Nick Milligan worked three-perfect relief innings before walking Colon to open the ninth inning. Owings then replaced Milligan and induced a strikeout, caught-stealing double play to clear the bases. Back-to-back hit-by pitches to Joe Kelch and Paul DeJong were wasted when Hollenbeck bounced out to short to end the game.
The series continues Saturday with a noon start in Macomb. Dylan Craig will take the mount for ISU.
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