LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team (13-17, 5-13 NACC) split a pair of NACC games with Concordia University Chicago (16-18, 9-11 NACC) on Sunday evening. What started as a strong opener with almost the entire lineup recording a hit, turned into a lopsided nightcap, with CUC forcing a mercy-rule after seven total innings.
Jake Bilotta carried the Rockford offense all afternoon, he went seven-for-nine with a double, 2 RBIs, a stolen base, and scored four times.
Game 1
- Rockford got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, Neil Freeman doubled to score Jared Herzog and start off a 1-0 lead.
- CUC retaliated in the top of the second, managing to get a pair of runners on second and third. The first runner scored on a wild pitch and the second scored on a sacrifice fly to take the lead 2-1.
- The Regents offense came back up in the bottom of the inning, leading off with Ryan Smith and Peyton McCray hitting singles. A groundout to first base advanced both runners into scoring position, and Smith scored on a sacrifice fly by Bradey Franks a batter later. McCray came in to score thanks to a Jake Bilotta single, and Bilotta scored on a throwing error. Three total runs on the inning had Rockford up 4-2.
- RU held the lead through three innings until the top of the sixth. Concordia Chicago got a runner on base via walk and tied the game with a two-run home run two batters later. The teams were tied going into the bottom of the sixth.
- Rockford came right back and reclaimed the lead. Joseph Stagowski recorded the Regents first hit of the inning with a single that scored Bradey Franks. Neil Freeman and Jonathan Leon each singled before the end of the inning, recording two more runs for RU to take the lead 7-4.
- CUC recorded one more run in the seventh before Rockford came back to pour on more runs. Tyler Peake walked and worked his way to third, where Bradey Franks hit a single to score him. Joseph Stagowski reached on an error, which scored Franks on the play, making the score 9-5. Neil Freeman completed the inning by launching a three-run homer over the right field wall, scoring the Regents final runs of the opener at 12-5.
- Concordia Chicago had no answer the rest of the game, securing the opening game win for the Regents by a score of 12-5.
Game 2
- CUC started the game with seven runs in the first two innings, taking a massive lead 7-0.
- Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Regents in the bottom of the second. Patrick Einhaus reached base on a fielder's choice, but earned an RBI when Gio Lucchetto crossed home plate to give RU its first run of the game.
- Rockford started chipping away at the lead again in the third. A number of errors allowed Joseph Stagowski and Jared Herzog to score and cut the lead to 7-3. The Regents added two more runs in the fourth inning thanks to a Jake Bilotta double and Jared Herzog single to put RU within two runs at 7-5.
- Rockford failed to score the remainder of the game, while CUC ran up the score with nine unanswered runs to claim the 10-run lead they needed to end the game, securing the nightcap victory 16-5.
Game 1
Game 2
- Jake Bilotta was 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
- Jared Herzog finished 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, and a walk.
