GLENDALE, Wis. - The Rockford University baseball team (7-5, 2-2 NACC) split a pair of high-scoring games on Tuesday afternoon at MSOE (8-9, 3-1 NACC). Rockford won the opener by a final score of 15-10 and then dropped the nightcap 10-7. The day was highlighted by the remarkable hitting performance of
Neil Freeman. Freeman belted a trio of home runs in game one, to tie both the NACC and RU single-game home run records. He then hit another home run in the second game of the day, to give him a total of four for the afternoon. Rockford as a team had 23 hits combined in the two games, including six home runs, a triple and four doubles.
Game 1
- The opener was an offensive onslaught, with at least one team scoring in eight of the nine innings.
- Rockford struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Jared Herzog drew a walk, and then Neil Freeman hit his first of three home runs, to give the Regents a 2-0 lead.
- However, the Raiders responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, to take their first lead of the game at 4-2.
- MSOE would tack on three more runs in the third and extend its advantage to 7-2.
- Fortunately, Rockford scored the next ten runs, including a seven-run fifth, to leap back in front by a score of 12-7.
- The Regents began chipping away at the deficit with back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth, of the bats of Neil Freeman and Ryan Smith.
- Rockford then retook the lead with a seven-run fifth inning. Jared Herzog drove in the first run with an RBI single back up the middle. Two batters later, Ryan Smith drew a walk to force in a run and make it a 7-6 game. Jonathan Leon then tied it at 7-7 on a sacrifice fly to right field. Later in the inning, it was Tyler Peake and Bradey Franks who drew RBI walks, to put Rockford back in front 9-7. One batter later, Jake Bilotta capped off the inning with a 2-run single back up the middle and extended Rockford's lead to 11-7.
- Neil Freeman then tied both the NACC and RU single-game home run records with his third home run of the game to lead off the sixth inning.
- MSOE was finally able to answer with a single run of its own in the bottom half of the sixth, to pull back within four at 12-8.
- However, Rockford continued its scoring barrage with two more runs in the seven and one in the ninth. Joseph Stagowski belted a two-run home in the seventh and Jake Bilotta drove in a run on an RBI single in the ninth en route to Rockford winning the opener by a final score of 15-10.
Game 2
- The second game of the doubleheader was once again on offensive showcase, as Rockford and MSOE combined to score 17 runs off 24 hits.
- After MSOE took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Rockford plated a trio of runs in the second to take a 3-1 lead. Neil Freeman picked up right where he left off in the first game, with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second to tie it at 1-1. With the bases now loaded and only one out, Tyler Peake laced a two-run double into the outfield, to give Rockford its first lead of the game at 3-1.
- The Regents' lead did not last long though, as MSOE answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to knot the score at 3-3.
- Following a scoreless third, Rockford was able to retake the lead with a four-run fourth. Ryan Smith and Jonathan Leon got things started with a double and a single to begin the inning. One batter later, Aaron Monti singled in Smith, to give his team a 4-3 lead. After an MSOE error made it 5-3, Jake Bilotta roped a two-run double to give Rockford a 7-3 advantage heading into the fifth.
- Unfortunately, MSOE was able to scratch across single runs in the fifth and sixth, three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth, to take a 10-7 lead into the ninth.
- With Rockford down to its final out and the bases empty, Jared Herzog and Neil Freeman reached via a double and a walk, which brought the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately, MSOE was able to retire the final batter of the game and secure the 10-7 victory.
Game 1
- Neil Freeman tied both the NACC and RU single-game records with 3 home runs. Freeman finished 3-for-4 with 3 home runs, 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
- Jake Bilotta finished 3-for-6 with a triple, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Joseph Stagowski went 3-for-6 with a home run, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- Ryan Smith was 1-for-4 with a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
- The RU bullpen combined to allow just 3 runs over its 6 innings of work.
- Vernon McKinley led the way with 3 strong innings. McKinley allowed just 1 run and struck out 4 to earn his first collegiate win.
Game 2
