FORT MYERS, Fla.- After scoring 27 runs in two games yesterday, the Rockford University baseball team looked to carry over their hot bats into a double-header today against Gettysburg College. The Gettysburg Bullets, who finished first in their conference last season, were coming off a 4-0 win and a 1-0 loss yesterday. It would be a tough couple of early season games for the Regents against a stingy pitching staff who gave up just one run in two games the previous day.
It appeared as though the Regents hot bats did carry over from the day before. With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Cole Logemann (Lena, Ill.) continued his early season tear and beat out a single to shortstop. Kevin Robinson (Schaumburg, Ill.), also on his a tear of his own, followed with a single to shallow right. Cleanup hitter Brian Wiest (Lake Zurich, Ill.) took advantage of a two-strike hanging breaking ball and drilled a double over the left fielders head. Logemann scored easily and Robinson hustled around from first base to also score.
The bats were silent until the fifth inning when Seth Dascher (Lena, Ill.) singled up the middle with one out. He advanced to third on a pickoff attempt that was thrown away. Bobby Barrera (Waukegan, Ill.) followed with a single up the middle to plate Dascher. Robert Smith (Bartlett, Ill.) was next and he hit another single up the middle. Robinson came up clutch one batter later with a sharp single up the middle with two outs to score Barrera.
Attempting to hold the Bullets bats at bay was freshman Thomas Bolen (Tucson, Ariz.), who was making his collegiate debut on the mound. Bolen played a duel role on the day, acting as a pitcher and an escape artist. He cruised through the first three innings and only allowed two base runners. He stranded a runner at third base in the first inning after allowing a double to start the game. Gettysburg would finally breakthrough in the top of the fourth with a two out RBI single.
Bolen allowed a lead-off walk in the fifth inning and after getting a ground out, he gave up a single to put runners on the corners with one out. He struck out the next batter but then walked the following batter to put the bases load with two outs. Bolen bared down and struck out the next Bullet looking to end the inning and the threat. He found himself in trouble again the following inning after walking two of the first three batters to start the inning. This time he used his defense to get out of a jam and got a ground out and a fly out to end another Gettysburg threat.
The following inning the Bullets bats finally starting coming alive. A two out home run brought the score to 4-2 in favor of Rockford. Bolen closed out the inning to complete his first collegiate start and left the game in line to win. He finished the game with six strike outs, five walks, six hits, and he gave up two earned runs in seven innings of work.
Gettysburg took advantage of the pitching change and rallied in the top of the eighth inning. They strung together five hits in the inning and scored three runs to take a 5-4 lead. The Bullets tacked on an important insurance run in the top of the ninth after successfully completing a first-and-third double steal. Rockford had one last chance in the bottom of the ninth to tie or win the game.
Evan Frantini (Morris, Ill.), who came in as a defensive replacement earlier in the game, doubled down the left field line with one out to give Rockford some life. Josh Cooper (Yorkville, Ill.) continued his solid start to the season with a hard single to left field. Britton Seivert (Rockford, Ill.) pinch-hit and grounded to second to force Cooper out at second. Seivert beat out the double play turn, which allowed Frantini to score and keep the Regents chances to tie the game alive. Barrera came up and took a pitch off his shoulder to put the tying run in scoring position and turning the lineup over. Smith followed and drilled a hard grounder up the middle that looked as though it would get through to tie the game up. But the Bullets shortstop made an amazing diving play and got the force out at second just in time to end the game 6-5 in Gettysburg favor.
Gettysburg used the momentum from its game ending diving play to cruise to a 7-0 win in a short seven-inning game two. Smith led off the game with a single, which accounted for one of Rockford's three hits for the game. Barrera record another single and Devin Standard (Monroe Center, Ill.) had a pinch-hit single in the seventh inning. Rockford got some quality innings from another freshman making his collegiate debut on the mound. Tyler Joyce (Rochelle, Ill.) went five solid innings. He gave up four hits, two walks, and two earned runs. He struck out three in the tough luck loss.
The Regents are back at it early tomorrow with an 8:00 a.m. CST start time against Haverford College. They return to the field later that night for a 6:00 p.m. CST game against Eastern Nazarene College.
