LISLE, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team concluded its season with a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Illinois Tech in the NACC Tournament. Starting pitcher
Alex Easton was excellent on the mound in only his fifth start of the season. Rockford led for the majority of the game after scoring two runs in the third and one more in the seventh off a
Joseph Stagowski solo home run. Unfortunately, the Scarlet Hawks exploded for five runs in the eighth to take their first lead of the day. However, the Regents continued to battle and gave themselves a chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the ninth. Rockford scored a pair of runs in the inning and got the tying run into scoring position with two outs. Unfortunately, Illinois Tech retired the final batter of the game to secure the victory.
- Rockford University pitcher Alex Easton dominated the Scarlet Hawks during his start. Easton held Illinois Tech scoreless and allowed just one hit over his first five innings of work.
- The RU offense was able to break the scoreless tie with a two-run third. Jake Bilotta began the inning with a single, advanced to third on a Joseph Stagowski single and then scored on an Illinois Tech error to make it a 1-0 game. One batter later, Alex Perez made it 2-0 on an RBI single into left field.
- The score remained unchanged until the Scarlet Hawks cut the lead in half with a single run in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded and no one out, reliever Will Hissong was able to induce a double play and a groundout to hold Illinois Tech to just a single run in the inning.
- The Regents had a chance to add to their lead in the sixth when Blaise Mace and Enrique Melendez Jr. strung together back-to-back singles to put runners on second and third with only one out. However, the Scarlet Hawks wiggled out of the jam to keep it a 2-1 game.
- Rockford was however able to get that run back in the bottom of the seventh when Joseph Stagowski launched a solo home run over the right center field wall to put his team in front 3-1.
- Unfortunately, the Scarlet Hawks plated five runs off five hits in the top of the eighth to take their first lead of the game. Illinois Tech tied the game at 3-3 on a home run and an RBI bunt single. The Scarlet Hawks proceeded to take a 4-3 lead on a questionable at best safe call at the plate on a double steal. They then went on to score two more runs and stretch their lead to 6-3.
- After not scoring in the eighth, the Regents had one final shot to extend their season in the bottom of the ninth. Nate Burdin and Jake Bilotta began things with a single and a double to put runners on second and third and bring the tying run to the plate with no one out. One batter later, Jared Herzog lifted a sacrifice fly into center to make it a 6-4 game. Following an error and an excellent catch at third to rob Alex Perez of a hit, the Regents scratched across another run on a wild pitch and moved the tying run to second base. Unfortunately, Illinois Tech got the final batter to fly out to left to end the game and secure a 6-5 win.
- Joseph Stagowski finished 2-for-4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
- Jake Bilotta went 2-for-5 with a double and 2 runs scored.
- Alex Perez was 2-for-5 with an RBI.
- Alex Easton threw 5 plus innings in his start. He allowed 1 run off 3 hits and struck out 4 batters.
- Paul Turelli pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Regents. He allowing no runs, no hits and struck out 3.
