MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Regents baseball team has seen its fair share of ups and downs during the 2014 season. Rockford boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the conference as it currently leads the NACC in multiple categories including, runs allowed, earned runs allowed and earned run average. The Regents' strong pitching was once again on display Monday as Rockford surrendered just one earned run total in the doubleheader against the MSOE Raiders.
Senior Kyle Pisano (Chicago, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) threw a complete game for Rockford in the opener. Pisano continued to build upon his excellent senior season which has him second in the NACC in earned run average (1.26), tied for second in wins (4) and fourth in strikeouts (33). The senior surrendered just a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning and has now thrown 20 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Pisano also struck out eight Raiders on Monday while walking none.
Offensively game one was a struggle for Rockford. The Regents were held scoreless through eight innings and did not have a runner reach third base until the ninth. Senior Matt Grimes (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West) drove in Rockford's only run of the game in the top of the ninth inning. However it was not enough as Rockford dropped the opener 2-1.
Game two turned out much better for Rockford as the Regents once again got an excellent pitching performance, but this time found its groove offensively as well. Junior Michael Kiviranta (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) improved his record on the mound to 2-1 as he tossed 8 strong innings to pick up the win. Kiviranta surrendered just 3 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 3.
After being held scoreless for the first five innings, the Rockford offense finally broke through scoring 7 runs in the final 4 frames. Following a walk and a hit batsman to start the sixth inning, Matt Grimes once again drove in Rockford's first run this time with an RBI single. The Regents then took advantage of an MSOE error to plate their second run of the inning and tie the game at 2-2 before Bryan Grabowski (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) gave his team its first lead of the day with an RBI single of his own.
The Regents would then score a single run in each of the next two innings before sealing the win with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. Matt Grimes used his third hit and second RBI of the game to drive in Rockford's run in the seventh. One inning later, senior Chris Senn (Victorville, Calif./Silverado) gave the Regents a bit more of a cushion when he led the top of the eighth with a solo home run extending the lead to 5-2. The Regents then scored their final two runs of the game on a suicide squeeze by Bobby Barrera (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) that saw both runners score and give Rockford a 7-2 victory.
The Rockford University baseball team returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 23rd at Elmhurst College. First pitch of the game is set for 3:00 p.m.
