JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team (5-3) swept a road doubleheader from the Illinois College Blueboys (5-10) on Sunday afternoon. The Regents pulled off an 8-6 comeback win in the opener and then dominated the nightcap with a 10-2 victory. In total, Rockford amassed 29 hits in the two games, including four home runs. Ten different Regents had a hit in the doubleheader, including seven Regents with multiple hits in at least one of the two games. Leadoff batter
Jake Bilotta led the offensive attack going 6-for-9 in the two games, with a home run, a double, 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
Game 1
- The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Illinois College plated a pair of runs.
- Following a leadoff single, James Marcinkowski belted a two-out, two-run home run, to put the Blueboys out in front 2-0.
- Rockford would then take the lead after a three-run fifth inning. Gio Lucchetto and Bradey Franks each singled to put runners on first and second with two outs. Jake Bilotta then drove in Rockford's first run of the day on an RBI double to right center field. One batter later, Joseph Stagowski laced a two-run single back up the middle and gave the Regents a 3-2 advantage.
- Unfortunately, Illinois College retook the lead with four unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Blueboys capitalized on a Regent error with two outs to extend the inning, and then got the bulk of their runs off a three-run home run from Peyton Abbott.
- Fortunately, the Regents responded with a four-spot of their own in the very next inning. Tyler Peake led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run, his first as a Regent, to trim the deficit to 6-4. Joseph Stagowski, Neil Freeman and Jonathan Leon would each follow with RBI singles, to give Rockford a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
- Rockford's Neil Freeman would then make it an 8-6 game with a solo home run in the top of the ninth.
- The RU bullpen combination of Logan List and Christian Dahlstrom would take it the remainder of the way, holding the Blueboys scoreless over the final three innings. Illinois College had just one hit over that span, as Rockford held on for the 8-6 victory.
Game 2
- Illinois College again scored first in game two. The Blueboys plated a single run off two hits in the bottom of the second to grab an early 1-0 lead.
- The score remained 1-0 until the fifth, when the Regents scored four runs off five hits. Eric Leon and Jake Bilotta began the frame with back-to-back singles and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Joseph Stagowski then gave the Regents the lead with a two-run double to center field. One batter later, Jared Herzog roped an RBI single back up the middle, to put the Regents out in front 3-1. Rockford would add one more run later in the inning off a sacrifice fly and take a 4-1 lead into the sixth.
- The Regents tacked on six more runs in the top of the sixth to essentially put the game out of reach. Jake Bilotta got things started with a three-run home run to make it a 7-1 game. Then later in the inning, Gio Lucchetto crushed a three-run home run of his own, to give Rockford a commanding 10-1 advantage.
- Ten runs were more than enough support for Rockford starting pitching Kent Evans Jr. After allowing the run in the second, Evans surrendered just two hits over the next four innings and held the Blueboys without a run, while the RU bats took over. Evans went a total seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out five.
- Illinois College did add a meaningless run in the bottom of the seventh, but the game was never in doubt, as Rockford cruised to an easy 10-2 win.
Game 1
- Joseph Stagowski finished 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs and a run scored.
- Neil Freeman went 2-for-5 with a home run, 2 RBIs and a run scored.
- Jake Bilotta was 2-for-4 with a double, 2 runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI.
- Tyler Peake finished 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored.
- Jonathan Leon went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
- Logan List picked up the win in relief and moved to 2-0 this season.
- Christian Dahlstrom went the final 2.2 innings and earned his second save. Dahlstrom allowed just 1 hit and no runs in his appearance.
Game 2
- Jake Bilotta finished 4-for-5 with a home run, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Eric Leon went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored.
- Jonathan Leon was 2-for-5 with a run scored.
- Gio Lucchetto drove in 4 runs.
- Kent Evans Jr. threw 7 strong innings and improved to 2-0. Evans allowed just 2 runs off 5 hits and struck out 5 batters.
