FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Rockford University baseball team fell in both contests (7-16, 2-13) against Franklin and Marshall College. The Regents started with the lead in both games, but the Diplomats recovered and came back to defeat RU in both. Rockford scored first to open game one, but FMC quickly responded and never gave the lead back, controlling the game until the final out. The Regents took the lead in the second inning of game two, but the Diplomats once again scored in the next half-inning and never gave up the lead, securing the win in game two and the sweep of the Regents.
Game One: Rockford 7, Franklin & Marshall 16
- The Regents got on the board first after Jake Bilotta singled and worked his way around to score three batters later.
- Franklin & Marshall came up in the bottom of the first with a quick response. With the bases loaded, a pair of singles brought home three total runs to take the lead 3-1.
- Both sides were held in check until the fourth inning. With two men on base, a triple followed up by a single scored three runs for the Diplomats to make it a 6-1 ballgame. F&M added two more runs before the end of the inning, making the score 8-1.
- Rockford started chipping away at the lead with Blaise Mace scoring on a groundout.
- Franklin & Marshall responded with a home run to right center field, scoring two more to make it 10-2.
- Rockford wasn't out yet however, scoring five runs in the sixth inning. Ryan Stejskal scored on a throwing error, Jared Herzog scored on a walk, and Alex Perez and Blaise Mace scored on wild pitches. Will Hissong scored the final run of the inning thanks to a sacrifice fly. The Regents were within striking distance at 10-7.
- Franklin & Marshall put the game well out of reach in the bottom half of the inning, scoring six runs and holding a 16-7 lead.
- The Regents had one chance to get back into the game and couldn't convert, handing the Diplomats the win in game one.
Game Two: Rockford 2, Franklin & Marshall 13
- Rockford struck first in the bottom of the third with Richie Garcia hitting a triple to score Mitch Burchert.
- The Diplomats responded in the next half-inning with five runs to take a 5-1 lead.
- Franklin & Marshall continued to get runners across the plate in the fourth, scoring five more runs by the end of the fourth to take a 10-1 lead.
- The Diplomats capped off their efforts with three more runs in the seventh inning to take a strong 13-1 lead.
- Needing three runs to avoid the mercy rule, the Regents only scored off of a groundout that brought Scott Gowan home. Giving up the third out, Rockford fell in game two by a final score of 13-2.
Game One
Game Two
- Richie Garcia went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, while recording an RBI.
- Alex Easton pitched one 1.1 innings in relief. He earned 3 strikeouts.
