RIVER FOREST, Ill. - The fourth and final spot in the 2021 NACC South Division Baseball Tournament will now not be decided until Sunday, after both Rockford and Dominican split their respective doubleheaders on Saturday. Rockford took game one from Concordia Chicago with a thrilling 7-6 victory. The Regents and Cougars combined for 25 hits in the game, but the biggest hit came off the bat of Peyton McCray in the top of the ninth. With two outs and a runner in scoring position, McCray drove in the game-winning run on an RBI single to right. Unfortunately, Rockford was unable to carry that momentum forward into game two, falling by a final score of 11-1.
Here are the unofficial playoff scenarios for Sunday's games. If Rockford wins both games against Concordia Chicago, the Regents secure the #4 seed in the NACC South Division Tournament. If Rockford splits with Concordia Chicago, the Regents need Dominican to lose at least once against Illinois Tech in order to make the tournament. If Rockford is swept by Concordia Chicago, the Regents are eliminated.
Game 1
- The game remained scoreless through two innings, with both teams combining to record just two hits.
- Rockford would then strike for five runs off six hits in the top of the third.
- Tyler Peake, Hunter Fiorito and Jared Herzog all singled to load the bases with no one out. Christian Garcia followed with Rockford's fourth straight single, driving in Peake, and giving the Regents a 1-0 lead. Phil Hyland then made it 2-0 off a sacrifice fly to right field. One batter later, Troy Tucci drove in his first run of the day with an infield single. The Regents' final two runs came a couple of batters later, when Iszak Mestas doubled down the left field line, scoring Tucci and Garcia, and giving Rockford a commanding 5-0 advantage.
- The Cougars were able to get one run back in the home half of the inning. CUC had just one hit in the inning, but took advantage of a Regent error to plate its run and make it a 5-1 game.
- Fortunately, Rockford would get that run back in the top of the fifth. Peyton McCray got things started with a one-out walk, and then advanced to second on a passed ball. A couple of batters later, Zach Hunter came up with a clutch two-out single, to extend the Regents' lead to 6-1.
- Unfortunately, Concordia Chicago would use a five-run sixth inning to knot the game at 6-6. The Cougars scored their five runs off just four hits and capitalized a costly Regent error, which allowed a pair of unearned runs to score late in the frame and tie the game.
- The game would remain tied until the top of the ninth. After a strikeout to being the inning, Phil Hyland drew a key one-out walk. Following a second strikeout in the inning, Hyland was able to work his way into scoring position by stealing second. Peyton McCray then came through with a clutch, two-out RBI single into right, to put Rockford back in front by a score of 7-6.
- That one run was all RU pitcher Christian Dahlstrom would need. Dahlstrom retired three of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, including striking out the final two, to pick up the win.
Game 2
- Game two started out as a pitching duel between Adrian Rapier and Zach Litke. The Regents and Cougars combined to score just three runs through four and a half innings, before the Cougar offense exploded over the final few frames.
- The Cougars jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with a run in the first and a run in the second. CUC used two singles and a pair of hit batsmen to score the first run of the game. The Cougars scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second, off a walk, a passed ball and a two-out RBI single.
- The Regents responded with a single run in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half.
- Following two quick outs in the inning, Hunter Fiorito blasted his fifth home run of the season, to make it a 2-1 game.
- The score remained unchanged until the Cougars tacked on four runs in the bottom of the fifth. CUC had just one hit in the inning but took advantage of two walks, a hit by pitch, two wild pitches and a costly two-out error that led to a pair of unearned runs.
- Concordia Chicago then put the game away with five more runs in the bottom seventh. The Cougars needed just four hits to score the five runs and pick up the 11-1 victory.
Game 1
Game 2
The RU baseball team will conclude its regular season schedule at home on Sunday, May 9 against Concordia Chicago. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for noon at Rivets Stadium.
