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Leathernecks jump out early, but can

May 23, 2008 on 8:00 pm | In Athletics |

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - After a quick start, the Western Illinois baseball team could not catch up with No. 21 San Diego, falling 3-1.

The Leathernecks (1-8) jumped on the Toreros (9-7) early as Cole Waddell led off the game with a double into the right-center gap. Jared Wolf pushed a ground ball to the right side of the infield that moved Waddell up 90 feet. After Kenny Price struck out swinging, Drew Laidig picked up a RBI on a single up the middle, giving Western a 1-0 lead.

San Diego did some damage with two outs in the home half of the first. After Leatherneck starter Travis Tolsma (0-2) got a pair of fly outs to start the game, Victor Sanchez ripped a fly ball to left field that tipped off the glove of Zach Berg on a diving attempt. Anthony Strazzara followed up a walk with a two-RBI double to give the home team the 2-1 lead after one inning.

A scoreless second inning and top of the third led to a leadoff single for the Toreros in the home half of the inning. A bunt single put runners at first and third for Josh Romanski, who pulled a single through the gap on the right side of the infield to plate the third run of the game for San Diego.

“We made some plays today,” said Western Illinois head coach Stan Hyman. “It was one of those days where we didn’t always make the first play, but someone picked up the next one for us. I thought we played a really good ball game, but they are ranked for a reason and it showed.”

Tolsma settled in for Western, holding the Toreros scoreless through his next three innings of work. The only jam that he found himself in came when the bases were loaded in the bottom of the fifth with one out. Tolsma got a fly ball to left fielder Tyler Tilbury. After making the catch, Tilbury threw behind the lead runner to third where Laidig applied the tag to the base runner going to third before the run could cross the plate.

“They’re a good hitting ball team and if you make mistakes they will make you pay,” said Tolsma. “After that first inning I knew I just had to keep throwing the ball. As a pitcher, I have to have faith in my defense. When the bases got loaded in the fifth inning, the defense picked me up. Tilbury came through with a huge play in left keeping that run off the board.”

Ryan Schmidt came on in relief for Tolsma. The freshman right hander threw two shut out innings of work.

“We got great pitching again today,” Hyman added. “Tolsma went out there and pitched a great game. To hold them to three runs is an outstanding job by him. Schmidt threw well out of the bullpen for us. If we get this kind of pitching in conference, we’re going to do very well.”

Laidig and Price each recorded two hits to lead the offense for the Leathernecks. Both of the hits for Price were infield singles.

“Price and Laidig have been hitting the ball very well,” Hyman said of his hitters. “Kenny has hit every team that we’ve seen out here. I think our lineup overall is fine. Right now we’re not getting our guys on in the bottom of the lineup like we were in Oklahoma. Once we start doing that we’ll be fine.”

“Unfortunately we can’t score one run in the first and then do nothing the rest of the game,” Hyman continued. “We need to start making the adjustments at-bat to at-bat. I’m seeing guys do the same thing at the plate each time and we need them to start making adjustments when we tell them to. I think we are capable of doing that but we haven’t been this week. Even in the Long Beach State game, we did enough to win but offensively we left a lot of guys out there.”

Western wraps up its four game tour in California with a matchup against Point Loma Friday, 5 p.m. (CST).

Originaly from Source