LOVES PARK, ILL.- The Rockford University baseball team is starting to look like the team that was projected before the season started. Looking to build off a close win against Edgewood earlier this week, Rockford took on the Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons Saturday afternoon. The Regents pitching held the Falcons bats at bay in both games and Rockford used a seven run inning in game two to secure a sweep.
Game one would feature a back-and-forth game that was not decided until later in the game. The Falcons scored single runs off Regents starter Kaleb Rich (Washington, Iowa./Washington) in the first and second inning. A walk and a throwing error hurt Rich in the first and a solo home run hurt him in the second. Rockford scored a run of its own in the bottom of the first. Kyle LaMore (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley) led off with a walk and a two out Falcon error advanced him to third. Terry Wiltshire (Elizabeth, Ill./River Ridge) made it hurt by following with a RBI single to right field. Walks continued to hurt Rich as third run scored on a Falcon double after a lead-off walk in the fourth inning.
Facing a 3-1 deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning the Regents offense started to come around. Jacob Gorsuch (Cherry Valley, Ill./Jefferson) single to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Bobby Barrera (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) moved Gorsuch up a base and LaMore followed next by doubling to left center to score Gorsuch. The next inning Barrera knocked in two runs on a single to right to give Rockford the 4-3 lead. Rockford added an insurance run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Barrera.
Rich worked through control issues to earn his third win of the season. He pitched six innings giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits and seven walks. Joe Rigg (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) pitched two and two-third innings shut-out innings to finish the game and earn his first save of the season.
In game two the strong pitching for Rockford showed up once again but the bats exploded this game for seven runs in the fifth, leading to a 12-2 rout of Concordia Wisconsin.
The Falcons would get on the board first again. In the second inning a two out walk followed by a single and a fielding error resulted in Concordia Wisconsin's first run of the game. Rockford tied it up in the bottom half of the inning on doubles by Chris Holke (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and Connor McHugh (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg). The Falcons reclaimed the lead in the next half inning with two doubles of their own.
The Regents starter Kyle Pisano (Chicago, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) settled down and would not allow a run in his next three innings of work. He pitched six innings, giving up seven hits, three walks, one earned run, and struck on three in his third win of the season. In the fifth inning Rockford's offense exploded for seven runs.
Adrian Gameros (Rialto, Calif./Carter) started things by getting hit by a pitch. Barrera singled after him. Gorsuch then bunted both runners up a base. Bryan Grabowski (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) lined a single up the middle for the first run of the inning. Chris Senn (Victorville, Calif./Silverado) then crushed a two-run triple to right center. Wiltshire kept things going with a RBI single to left center. Holke joined the hit parade with another single. Brian Wiest (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) followed him with a two-run double to left field. McHugh finished off the seven-run outburst with another RBI double.
Smelling blood and an early ending due to the ten run mercy run, Rockford's offensive outburst continued in the sixth inning. Grabowski reached on a one out error. Senn was up next and he also reached on an error, which resulted in a run. Wiltshire followed with a walk. After a foul out LaMore pinch-hit and also walked. McHugh finished a solid day with a three-run double to deep right center.
McHugh finished the game with three doubles and five runs batted in. Senn had a double and triple and two RBI. Wiest also had a double and two RBI.
Rockford is scheduling, barring weather, to play Illinois Institute of Technology tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in Loves Park.
