LISLE, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team (15-20, 6-16 NACC) dropped its final road doubleheader of the season on Saturday afternoon to the Benedictine University Eagles (24-11, 18-4 NACC). Rockford fell 9-2 in the opener and then 11-1 in the nightcap. Benedictine scored in five of the eight innings in game one and then used a six-run fifth to seal the win in game two. After today's games, Rockford has just one home doubleheader remaining on Sunday, May 8 against defending NACC Champions, Aurora University.
Game 1
- The Eagles scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Benedictine had just one hit in the frame, but took advantage of a pair of walks and a wild pitch to jump out in front.
- Benedictine then added single runs in both the second and fourth innings to double its advantage to 4-0. In the second, the Eagles strung together a double and an RBI single to make it a 3-0 ballgame. Benedictine's Peter Turelli then led off the fourth with a solo home run over the right center field wall, making the score 4-0.
- Fortunately, the Regents responded with a single run of their own in the top of the fifth and cut into the Eagle lead. Following a quick out to begin the inning, Joseph Stagowski crushed his sixth home run of the season, making it a 4-1 game.
- Unfortunately, the Eagles scored five runs over the next two innings to essentially salt the game away. Benedictine struck for three runs off two hits and two walks in the fifth and two runs off back-to-back home runs from Damen Castillo and Andrew Tenison in the sixth to stretch its lead to 9-1.
- The Regents were able to score a run off a Joseph Stagowski RBI groundout in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough, as Rockford dropped the opener by a final score of 9-2.
Game 2
- The nightcap had a similar start to it, with Benedictine jumping out to an early 3-0 lead. The Eagles tallied a single run off two hits in the first and two runs off two hits in the bottom of the third.
- However, Rockford was able to cut into the Benedictine lead with a run of its own in the top of the fourth. Jared Herzog led off frame with a single and then stole second to put himself in scoring position with no one out. One batter later, Neil Freeman laced an RBI single back up the middle, scoring Herzog, and making it a 3-1 game.
- Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse over the next two innings. The Eagles scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth off a Cole Wilson two-run double. Benedictine then added six runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Eagles had just two hits in the inning, but capitalized on five walks and two Rockford errors to take an 11-1 lead.
- Unfortunately, Rockford was unable to score a run over the next two innings and dropped game two by a final score of 11-1.
Game 1
- Joseph Stagowski finished 2-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and 2 RBIs.
- Jonathan Leon went 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Vernon McKinley pitched extremely well out of the bullpen for Rockford. McKinley threw 2.1 shutout innings, allowed just 1 hit and struck out 2 batters.
Game 2
