ROCKFORD, Ill.- Sunday afternoon featured another important conference doubleheader for the Rockford University baseball team. The Regents faced off against the MSOE Raiders. Game one was a pitcher's duel, with the Regents coming out on the short end of a 2-0 game. In game two, Rockford exploded for seven runs and held off a late rally to win 7-4.
Rockford was held to just five hits and eight overall base runners in game one. Despite the lack of base runners, the Regents did have a few scoring chances, but they could not get a big hit. In the bottom of the second inning Brian Wiest (Lake Zurich, Ill.) singled to start the inning. Bobby Barrera(Waukegan, Ill.) walked with two but a strikeout ended the Regents threat.
Kevin Robinson (Schaumburg, Ill.) doubled with two outs in the fourth inning but was left stranded. He doubled again to start the seventh inning but was again left stranded. In the bottom of the ninth inning and down two runs, Wiest singled to start the inning and Barrera was hit by a pitch with two outs to put the game-tying run on base. But another strike out ended another scoring chance and the game.
The tough luck loser on the mound was Adam O'Malley (Elk Grove, Ill.). The freshman pitched eight strong innings giving up nine hits, two walks, and two earned runs. He also struck out five batters. O'Malley gave up single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
Rockford ended its scoring drought right away in the second game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Robert Smith (Bartlett, Ill.) singled to open things up and later moved to second on a passed ball. Wiest continued his hot streak with a two out single to plate Smith. The Regents added two more in the bottom of the fourth.
Devin Standard (Monroe Center, Ill.) reached first by a fielding error to start the inning. Smith walked to put two on with no outs. Cole Logemann (Lena, Ill.) followed by singling in Standard. A sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch scored Smith to put Rockford up 3-0.
On the mound for Rockford was Drew Walker (Morris, Ill.). The senior cruised through the first five innings without giving up a run. The Raiders finally got to Walker in the top of the sixth. A two out error resulted in two unearned runs scoring and Rockford's lead shrinking to one run. The score held until the bottom of the eighth inning when Rockford exploded for four clutch runs.
Barrera walked with one out. Britton Seivert (Rockford, Ill.) singled to put two on. After a flyout, Evan Frantini (Morris, Ill.) singled in Barrera. Smith kept things going by getting hit by a pitch. A wild pitch then moved up all of the runners and scored another run. Logemann finished off the rally with a two-run single to center field. MSOE made things interesting in the ninth inning by scoring two runs, but Rockford held to secure teh 7-4 victory.
Walker pitched six solid innings giving up two unearned runs. He gave up just two hits and two walks and he struck out one batter to earn his first win of the season. Logemann finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk. Seivert finished 2-for-4 with a run. Smith went 1-for-3 and scored three runs.
Rockford's next game is a nonconference game at Illinois Tech. The game is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.
