LOVES PARK, Ill.- The Rockford University baseball team returned to conference play for the first time in a week Saturday afternoon. The Regents hosted the Lakeland College Muskies for an afternoon double-header. Rockford's pitching was outstanding in both games, allowing a combined two runs in sixteen innings. Despite the strong pitching performances, the offense could not get going in game one, but turned things around in a big way in game two to get the split with Lakeland.
Game one would be decided by a fourth inning run by the Muskies. The first two batters of the inning singled off Regents starter Michael Murray (Princeton, Ill./Princeton). They were then bunted over. A fielding error on a groundball scored the runner from third and put runners on the corners. Murray got the next batter to pop up. With two-outs in the inning, the Muskies tried to steal a run from the Regents by creating a pickle between first and second. A quick throw by catcher Terry Wiltshire (Elizabeth, Ill./River Ridge) to shortstop Bobby Barrera (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan), who quickly threw it back to Wiltshire, nailed the runner on third base trying to score at home for the final out of the inning.
Lakeland added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning after the lead-off hitter reached on a hit and came around on a double two batters later. Rockford struggled to mount a rally throughout the game. The Regents best chance came in the bottom of the ninth inning when they got two runners on base with one-out and the middle of the order coming up. But an infield fly and a foul out to first base ended the game for Rockford.
Murray went the distance in the hard-luck loss; giving up two earned runs on nine hits, one walk, and striking out two batters.
Game two would be a completely different story for Rockford's offense. They scored runs in five of the seven innings, including a key five-run sixth inning that sealed the win. Joe Rigg (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) and Connor McHugh (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg) both singled to start the game for Rockford. Chris Senn (Victorville, Calif./Silverado) then drove in Rigg on a groundout for the first run of the game. Senn doubled in Jake McKnight (Monroe Center, Ill./Stillman Valley), who had singled to start the bottom of the third inning, for the second run of the game.
Senn was back at it in the bottom of the fifth. He doubled in Rigg who singled to start the inning. The sixth inning outburst started with Matt Grimes (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West) getting hit by a pitch and then stealing second base. Cole Logemann (Lena, Ill./Lena-Winslow) was next and he singled back to the pitcher, who then threw the ball away to score Grimes and put Logemann at second. Scott Swiderek (Chicago, Ill./Walter Lutheran) followed by reaching base on an error and then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position.
After a groundout, Rigg singled to center to score two runs. McHugh kept things going by doubling in Rigg. Senn was up next and record his third hit of the game, a singled to put runners on the corners. Chris Holke (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) finished the rally by beating out a potential inning-ending double-play ball that scored McHugh.
Needing two runs to end the game early, Rockford's offense went to work quickly in the bottom of the seventh inning. Logemann singled with one out and Swiderek singled right after him. McKnight then stepped up and drilled the left center gap for a game-ending, two-run triple.
Picking up where Murray left off on the mound in the first game was starter Kaleb Rich (Washington, Iowa/Washington). Rich threw seven shut-out innings to boost his season record to 4-1. He gave up just five hits and one walk in the game, striking out three batters.
The Regents season continues on April 21st when they travel to Milwaukee to face MSOE for a conference double-header. The first game is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m.
