MACOMB, Ill. – Omaha baseball dropped its third-straight series finale Sunday afternoon at Western Illinois.
 
The Mavericks (27-18-1, 19-8) now have a 1.5 game lead on second-place South Dakota State with the 8-5 loss to the Leathernecks (20-28, 14-13).
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Spencer Koelewyn fell to 4-2 on the season as he pitched 2.2 innings with six strikeouts and five walks with one hit and five runs allowed. WIU's Connor Rektorski picked up his first win of the season. In relief for the Mavericks, Grant Suponchick tossed 3.1 innings with four strikeouts two walks, five hits and three runs allowed. He also had an RBI in the game. Parker Smejkal went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
INSIDE THE INNINGS
In his first at-bat, Smejkal blasted a triple to right field and plated Keil Krumwiede for the first run of the game. In the bottom of the first, Western Illinois answered with an off-target Omaha throw from the outfield that scored the runner stealing home.
 
In the next inning, Omaha loaded the bases with one out, but all three runners were left stranded. Following three consecutive strikeouts for Koelewyn, the Mavericks found the plate and scored three times in the third to jump out to a 4-1 lead.
 
Western loaded the bases in the bottom of the third and scored on a wild pitch. The next two runs came on a single to right field for a pair of RBI that made it a 4-4 game. The next WIU run happened on a double to right center that put Omaha in a 5-4 deficit. The next Leatherneck run came with two outs and one runner on in the bottom of the fourth. A shot to the right center gap plated the run.
 
The deficit increased to four in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Western Illinois scored a pair of runs on a double and an Omaha error that made it 8-4.
 
Omaha saw its chances in the top of the seventh with runners in scoring position, but the Leathernecks were able to get a groundout to get out of the frame. An inning later, the bases were loaded again and Suponchick notched a sacrifice fly and cut WIU's lead at three, but the Leathernecks recorded back-to-back strikeouts to close out the side. Weather prevented the game from going another inning.
 
UP NEXT
Omaha heads into the week with a four-game slate. The Mavericks battle Creighton this Tuesday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. at TD Ameritrade Park. A three-game home stand at Seymour Smith Park against Oral Roberts closes out the season This Thursday, May 16, through Saturday, May 18. For more information, visit OMavs.com.