KENOSHA, Wis. - The Rockford University baseball team opened its day with a 7-6 win over Northland College before falling 10-4 to NCAA Division II foe UW-Parkside. Rockford smashed 12 hits, including a pair of home runs from
Kadin Bergstrom and
Jared Herzog, and got an outstanding performance out of the bullpen from
Alex Easton in its win over Northland. The victory gives Rockford its fifth straight win over Northland dating back to the 2015 season. Rockford's second game of the day was actually much closer than what the final score might indicate. The Regents led for the first 3.5 innings and were tied in the top of the fifth, sixth and heading into the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, Parkside was able to pull away late with a four run seventh en route to the win. The loss snaps the Regents' two-game winning streak against the Rangers.
Rockford 7 Northland 6
- The Regents plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to grab an early 2-0 lead. Jake Bilotta and Nate Burdin opened the game with a double and a single to put runners on the corners with no one out. Rockford then traded an out at second on a stolen base attempt, for a run to take a 1-0 lead. Rockford's final run came after back-to-back walks, a Jared Herzog single and Kadin Bergstrom sacrifice fly.
- The score remained unchanged until the top of the third when the LumberJacks scored four runs off just one hit. Rockford walked the first four batters of the inning and then hit the fifth to tie the game at 2-2. One batter later, Ridge Guyette cracked a two-run double into right field, to give Northland its first lead of the day at 4-2.
- Rockford answered right back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning off a Kadin Bergstrom two-run home run, to knot the game at 4-4.
- The RU bullpen then held the Northland offense scoreless over the next five innings. Alex Easton retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced, including nine straight. He did not walk a single batter during his 6.1 innings on the mound and allowed just four hits.
- The Regent offense was finally able to break through with a trio of runs in the bottom of the seventh. Jared Herzog led off the inning with his first home run of the year, to put Rockford back on top 5-4. Blaise Mace drove in the second run on a perfectly executed squeeze play, and Cobi Cooper scored the final run of the day to put the Regents out in front 7-4.
- Rockford maintained its three-run lead until the top of the ninth. The LumberJacks loaded the bases with just one out thanks to a pair of singles and a hit by pitch. Northland cut the Regent lead down to a single run following a walk and a sacrifice fly.
- Fortunately, Will Hissong was able to get the final batter of the game to pop out to short to earn his second save of the year and secure the 7-6 victory.
UW-Parkside 10 Rockford 4
- Rockford jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Joseph Stagowski got things started with a two-out single and then stole second to put himself in scoring position. Two batters later, Jared Herzog singled back up the middle, scoring Stagowski, and making it a 1-0 RU advantage.
- Regent starting pitcher Adrian Rapier held the Rangers scoreless through the first three innings. Rapier struck out at least one batter in each of those innings, including a pair of hitters in both the second and third.
- However, the Rangers finally broke through with a pair of runs off three hits in the bottom of the fourth to take their first lead of the day.
- Rockford would however get one of those two runs back and tie the game in the top of the fifth. The Regents drew a pair of walks to put runners on first and second, and then Joseph Stagowski laced an RBI single into left to tie the game at two.
- Unfortunately, Parkside responded with two more runs in the bottom half of the frame to retake the lead. The Rangers had just two hits in the inning but capitalized on a walk and a hit by pitch to grab a 4-2 advantage.
- The back and forth nature of the game continued in the top of the sixth when the Regents added two runs of their own to once again tie the game.
- Rockford took advantage of a pair of walks early on in the inning and then got a clutch two-out, two-run double off the bat of Jake Bilotta to knot the game at 4-4.
- Unfortunately, the Rangers scored six runs over the final three innings, including a four-run seventh, to secure the 10-4 win.
Northland
- Kadin Bergstrom finished 2-for-4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs.
- Jared Herzog went 2-for-3 with 2 walks, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
- Alex Perez and Nate Burdin each went 2-for-4 with a walk.
- Alex Easton earned the win to move to 1-0 on the year. He went 6.1 innings, allowing 2 runs off 4 hits, while striking out 3 and walking none.
- Will Hissong threw the final 0.2 innings to pick up his second save of the season. Hissong faced three batters and did not allow a run or a hit.
UW-Parkside
- Joseph Stagowski was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. Stagowski also walked twice, stole two bases, drove in a run and scored a run.
- Jared Herzog went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
- Jake Bilotta doubled and drove in 2 runs.
- David Wilhite was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.
