TUCSON, Ariz. - The Rockford University baseball team stormed all the way back from down six runs to upset NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University 10-8 on Sunday afternoon. The Regents scored in every inning but one from the second through the eighth, including a four-run seventh, to catapult them into the lead. Senior
Joseph Stagowski was sensational at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, a triple, a double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored and a walk. On the mound it was the Regent bullpen that kept them in the game.
Zach Fabis and
Will Hissong combined to allow just two runs off three hits and struck out six over their six innings of work.
- The Mustangs exploded for six runs in the second, including a two-run home run from Carter Lang and a three-run double by Evan Behn, to take a quick 6-0 lead.
- Rockford slowly began to chip away at the SMSU lead over the next several innings.
- Enrique Melendez Jr. got things started in the bottom of the second with a one-out triple. He would then later score on a Blaise Mace grounder to short.
- Jake Bilotta then made it a 6-2 game after belting his second home run of the season to lead off the third inning.
- The Regents added another single run in the bottom of the fifth. Joseph Stagowski laced a RBI triple into right center field to cut the deficit down to 6-3.
- The RU offense continued its steady attack with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Cobi Cooper and Enrique Melendez Jr. began the frame with back-to-back singles. After two quick outs, the Regents capitalized on a Mustang error to score two runs and make it a 6-5 ballgame.
- While the offense was slowly doing its damage, the RU pitching staff, led by reliever Zach Fabis, held the Mustangs at bay. The Regents allowed just one hit from the third through the sixth innings and retired the final eight batters over that stretch.
- However, the SMSU bats awoke again for two runs in the seventh inning, including an Owen Latendresse home run, to extend the Mustang lead back up to three at 8-5.
- Fortunately, the RU offense exploded for four runs off five hits in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for the first time in the game. Joseph Stagowski got things started with a leadoff home run. A few batters later, Aaron Monti and Cobi Cooper doubled and singled to put runners on the corners with one out. The Regents would add another run thanks to a Mustang error and then finally tied the game and took the lead off a two-out, two-run single from Ryan Stary.
- The Regents tacked on an insurance run in the eighth off a Joseph Stagowski double, an Austin Massat single and a Mustang error to take a 10-8 advantage into the ninth.
- Closer Will Hissong came in record the final three outs. Hissong did not allow a hit and struck out the final batter to secure the 10-8 victory.
- Joseph Stagowski was just a single away from the cycle. Stagowski finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run, a triple, a double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored and a walk.
- Enrique Melendez Jr. went 2-for-4 with a triple, 3 runs scored and a walk.
- Ryan Stary finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and knocked in what turned out to be the winning run.
- Cobi Cooper was 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored.
- Zach Fabis picked up the win on the mound to move to 2-0 this season. Fabis came in and pitched 5 brilliant innings in relief. He allowed just 3 hits and 2 runs while striking out 5.
- Will Hissong pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out one to earn his second save of the season.
