WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- Escaping the cold weather of Illinois for ten days, The Rockford University baseball team began its 2014 season in sunny Florida Friday afternoon. The Regents were at a slight disadvantage coming into their first game as their opponent, the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fighting Engineers, had already played four games while the Regents had been stuck inside gyms thus far. The lack of outdoor repetitions did not hurt Rockford as they played a great all around game in route to a 5-4 season opening victory.
Getting the opening day start was sophomore pitcher Michael Murray (Princeton, Ill./Princeton). Murrary cruised for the first three innings; only allowing two hits, two walks while striking out two batters. Matt Grimes (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West) put the Regents on the board in the second inning with a solo home run to left center field. The Fighting Engineers tied the game up in the fourth inning following a two-out infield single to third base. Rockford took a two-run lead in the fifth inning following back-to-back two-out RBI singles by Terry Wiltshire (Elizabeth, Ill./River Ridge) and Bryan Grabowski (Barrington, Ill./Barrington).
Murray got into trouble in the top of the sixth inning and left the game following a one-out single to load the bases. He finished the game giving up eight hits, two walks, and three earned runs in five and a third inning. He struck out five batters. Rockford's bullpen could not hold the lead and ended up giving up three two-out runs in the inning. Rose-Hulman's first lead of the game did not last long. Brian Wiest (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) led off the bottom of the inning with a double to left field. After tagging up on a fly ball to left field he was driven in on a single through the left side by Adrian Gameros (Rialto, Calf./Carter). Reliever Jake McKnight (Monroe Center, Ill./Stillman Valley) settled down to throw scoreless 7th and 8th innings.
Wiest again started things for the Regents in the bottom of the 8th inning, beating out a grounder to shortstop. Matt Szytz (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) pinch ran for him and with two-outs he took off for second base on a two-strike count to Gameros. Gameros ripped a line drive double over the center fielder's head and Szytz scored from first without a throw. Kyle Pisano (Chicago, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) came in ninth inning to try and record the save. He allowed a one-out single but snagged a comebacker on the next batter to start a game ending 1-6-3 double play. Leading the 13 hit attack for the Regents were Wiest and Gameros who both had three hits. McKnight pitched two and a third hitless innings for the win.
Rockford continues its spring trip tomorrow morning with a double-header against Coe College (2-2). The first game is slated to start at 9:00 a.m.
