MONTGOMERY, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team dropped a pair of tough games on the road Friday afternoon to the fifteenth-ranked Aurora University Spartans. Game one starting pitcher
Paul Turelli was outstanding on the mound for the Regents. Turelli held the high-powered Spartan offense to a single unearned run, while striking out a season and RU career-high 11 batters in just 5.2 innings of work. However, the Regents were unable to string together any type of offense, as Rockford dropped the opener 1-0. Rockford led for part of game two following another solid start from
Alex Easton. The Regents were out in front 3-2 heading into the bottom of the six, but the Spartans exploded for six runs over the next three innings to take the nightcap 8-3 and sweep the season series.
Aurora 1 Rockford 0
- Rockford had a chance to strike first in the top of the first inning. Alex Perez, Kadin Bergstrom and Jake Bilotta all drew two-out walks to load the bases. Unfortunately, the Spartans were able to retire the next batter and keep the game scoreless.
- The Regents again had a chance to plate a run in the top of the second. Zach Fabis and Blaise Mace strung together back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on the corners. However, the Spartans were once again able to wiggle out of the jam and keep Rockford off the board.
- Aurora then struck for an unearned run off two hits and one Regent error in the bottom of the second to take an early 1-0 lead.
- Rockford starting pitcher Paul Turelli shut down the Spartan offense for the remainder of the game. Turelli only allowed a single hit after the second and struck out seven more batters, including striking out the side in the fifth, to bring his total to eleven for the game.
- The Regents had one final scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth inning. Enrique Melendez Jr. led off the frame with a single and then advanced to second on a passed ball with no one out. Unfortunately, Aurora retired the next three batters to end the threat.
- Rockford was unable to record a hit over the final three innings and thus dropped a heartbreaker 1-0 to Aurora.
Aurora 8 Rockford 3
- Aurora struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Spartans tallied three hits and took advantage of one Regent error to grab an early 2-0 lead.
- RU starting pitcher Alex Easton settled in nicely after that, holding the Spartans without a run over the next four innings. Easton allowed just three hits over that span and struck out three batters.
- The Regents' bats finally came to life with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Blaise Mace drove in the first run of the day for Rockford on an RBI single to right field, and Joseph Stagowski tied the game at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly to center.
- Rockford then added another run in the sixth to take its first lead of the day. Jake Bilotta reached on a hit by pitch, and then Zach Fabis and Austin Massat strung together back-to-back singles, with Massat driving in Bilotta, to give Rockford a 3-2 lead.
- Unfortunately, the Spartans scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead. Aurora had no hits in the frame, but capitalized on a pair of walks, a hit batsman and a Regent error to make it a 4-3 game.
- The score remained unchanged until Aurora exploded for four runs off three hits in the bottom of the eighth to take an 8-3 advantage.
- Unfortunately, Rockford did not record a hit over the final three innings and fell 8-3 in the nightcap.
Game 1
- Paul Turelli was brilliant in his first road NACC start of the year. Turelli went 5.2 innings and allowed just 3 hits and 1 unearned run. He also struck out a season and an RU career-high 11 batters. It was his second straight start where he struck out at least ten batters.
- Zach Fabis went 1-for-2.
- Blaise Mace and Enrique Melendez Jr. each finished 1-for-3.
Game 2
- Austin Massat finished 2-for-3 with a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored.
- Alex Easton went five plus innings in a strong start. Easton allowed just two earned runs and struck out four.
- Jake Bilotta was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored.
