LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team (14-18, 6-14 NACC) earned a split in two very different contests against Illinois Tech (9-27, 5-15 NACC). The Regents struggled in the opener, getting shutout 12-0 with only four hits. Rockford then bounced back in the nightcap, winning 4-3, on the back of solid pitching.
Neil Freeman picked up the save on the mound through 2 innings of work, but also hit the three-run home run that gave the Regents the lead for the remainder of the second game.
Game 1
- Illinois Tech got the scoring started early with a home run from the second batter of the game to make the score 1-0. The Scarlet Hawks managed to load the bases the following inning, but Rockford escaped without giving up a run.
- IIT scored again in the top of the third thanks to a single that went to center field, putting the score at 2-0.
- The fourth inning was more of the same, Illinois Tech loaded up the bases and walked home a run. Then the Scarlet Hawks' Matthew Jackson launched a grand slam, scoring four more runs and extending the lead to 7-0.
- Rockford got a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs, but IIT managed to strikeout the next batter, keeping the Regents off the scoreboard.
- Neither team created much offense until the top of the seventh inning. Illinois Tech recorded a single and a pair of players getting hit by a pitch to load the bases again. IIT singled, scoring two of the runs from second and third. The next batter came up and doubled to the right field wall and scored the two runners left on base to take an 11-0 lead. The Scarlet Hawks added one more run on a pair of singles to score the final run of the game at 12-0.
- The Regents went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, and Illinois Tech took the opener by a final score of 12-0.
Game 2
- The Scarlet Hawks started the scoring again in the nightcap. After two quiet innings, Illinois Tech got a runner home after a fielding error to open the scoring at 1-0.
- Jake Bilotta and Joseph Stagowski each singled in the bottom of the inning to put a pair of runners on base. Neil Freeman stepped up shortly after and sent a three-run homer over the center field wall to give the Regents their first lead of the day at 3-1.
- Rockford held on to the two-run lead until the fifth inning, when Illinois Tech got a run back on a triple and a single to bring the score to 3-2.
- Tyler Peake led off for the Regents in the bottom of the sixth and singled through the right side. After Peake reached second base on a wild pitch, Jake Bilotta hit a single through the left side into left field, which was enough to score Peake and make the game 4-2.
- The Scarlet Hawks did not back down, however, cutting the lead to one again after a wild pitch scored the runner from third to make it 4-3.
- The Regents pitching staff held on for the remainder of the game, holding the one run lead until the final out was recorded. Rockford took the win and split with Illinois Tech with a final score of 4-3.
Game 1
Game 2
- Neil Freeman hit a 3-run home run and walked twice. He also came in and pitched 2 innings and struck out 4 batters.
- Aaron Monti picked up the win with 5 innings pitched and 4 strikeouts. He also contributed at the plate, hitting 3-for-4.
- Jake Bilotta finished 2-for-5 with a double, a run, and an RBI.
