SAN ANTONIO, Tex. - Following a difficult start to its four game series, the Regents looked to turn things around on Sunday in their final game against the Trinity University Tigers. Trinity entered the finale with the #2 ranking in NCAA Division III baseball, an impressive 23-4 record, and were on their second winning streak of at least 8 games. It is a tall task for any team to go on the road and knock off the second ranked team in the country but it was one the Regents were up to.
Senior Daryn Streed (Belvidere, Ill./North) was absolutely outstanding on the mound for Rockford. Streed shutout the Tigers who had the four highest scoring offense in the country through last week. The senior had the best outing of his Rockford College career throwing 8 shutout innings while surrending just 3 hits and walking zero. Streed also struck out a Rockford career best 7 batters. The Belvidere native was never really in any serious trouble all afternoon as he kept the Tigers off balance nearly the entire game. Streed twice retired at least 7 consecutive batters including retiring the final 15 batters he faced. After Sunday's game, Streed now has a 0.49 ERA over his 18.1 innings of work on the mound this season.
The Rockford offense was finally able to break through in the sixth inning and then put the game out of reach in the eighth. In the sixth inning, it was Streed who provided the spark offensively when he led off the inning with a single into left field. He would then later score when the Regents grounded into a double play giving Rockford a 1-0 lead. In the eighth, junior Bryan Grabowski (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) led off the inning with a single into right field. After a flyout and back-to-back walks, the Regents had the bases loaded with only one out. Junior Chris Senn (Apple Valley, Calif./Silverado) delivered prehaps the biggest hit of the season thus far when he drove a pitch into left field for a 2-run double. Following a hit batsman, Rockford once again had the bases loaded with one out. Pinch hitter Matt Grimes (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West) stepped up to the plate and laced a 2-run double of his own into left field giving Rockford a 5-0 lead after 8 innings. Jacob LeMay (DeKalb, Ill./Dekalb) took over on the mound for Streed in the ninth and preserved the 5-0 shutout victory.
The baseball team returns to Illinois for its home opener on Saturday, March 30th when the Regents will begin Northern Athletics Conference play against the Dominican University Stars. First pitch of the doubleheader is at noon at Aviators Stadium.
