BELOIT, Wis. - The Rockford University baseball team battled and split with the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors on Friday afternoon. The Regents were off to a great start, controlling game one thanks in part to
Jared Herzog earning 11 strikeouts in seven innings on the way to a 6-1 victory. The Rockford momentum ran out in game two, as despite only five hits, the Warriors run-ruled the Regents in a 14-3 rout to end the afternoon.
Rockford 6 Wisconsin Lutheran 1
- After a quiet top of the first, Jake Bilotta singled and was quickly brought home thanks to a Joseph Stagowski home run to make the score 2-0.
- Jared Herzog did a great job holding the Warriors in check all game. He didn't give up an earned run in his seven innings of action and tallied 11 strikeouts.
- Wisconsin Lutheran scored its first run of the afternoon on a Rockford defensive miscue to cut the score to 2-1.
- Rockford earned a couple insurance runs when Jake Bilotta scored Blaise Mace on a double and scored himself after an error by the defense to make it 4-1.
- RU added a fifth when Ryan Stejskal doubled and came around to score on an Alex Perez single.
- One final sacrifice fly in the eighth by the Regents earned them their sixth and final run of game one, slamming the door on the Warriors in the ninth, taking the victory 6-1.
Wisconsin Lutheran 14 Rockford 3
- WLC started game two in front, capitalizing on an error that scored two runs in the first.
- Rockford responded in the second inning after a pair of doubles by Jonathan Leon and TJ Cox, scoring one. Samuel Martinez was ready to score on third, but WLC got out of the inning.
- Ryan Stejskal scored Jake Bilotta on a double to even the score at 2-2 in the third.
- Samuel Martinez hit his first career home run in the bottom of the fourth to give Rockford the lead 3-2.
- Wisconsin Lutheran opened the game up in the fifth with five runs due to a 3-run double and multiple walks to give them back the lead 7-3.
- The Warriors dominated, scoring another seven unanswered runs by the seventh, forcing the run-rule with the score at 14-3. Rockford got a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, but came up short, losing the nightcap.
Game 1
- Jared Herzog threw 7 innings and tallied 11 strikeouts, a season-high. He also finished with zero earned runs and only 6 hits allowed.
- Joseph Stagowski homered in his first at-bat of the day, earning 2 RBIs.
- Jake Bilotta went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored, and an RBI.
- Alex Perez finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double.
Game 2
- Ryan Stejskal hit 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
- TJ Cox went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI.
- Jonathan Leon finished 2-for-3 with a double.
- Samuel Martinez hit a home run in a 1-for-2 effort. It was Martinez's first career home run as a Regent.
