DE PERE, Wis. - The Rockford University baseball team moved one step closer to a NACC Tournament berth with a pair of wins at St. Norbert College on Saturday afternoon. Rockford took the opener 8-1 behind a strong pitching performance from senior
Brayden Bidwell. Bidwell tossed the first complete game of his collegiate career and was backed up by home runs off the bats of
Zach Duke and
Austin Massat. Rockford then erased a 4-0 deficit in the nightcap with five runs in the sixth and two more runs in the eighth.
Zach Fabis then entered the game in the ninth and retired all three batters he faced to earn the save and secure Rockford's fourth straight win against St. Norbert. Rockford's game one victory had a little extra meaning to it as head coach
Bob Koopmann picked up his 361st win at Rockford University. With that victory, Coach Koopmann is now the all-time winningest coach in any sport in school history.
Game 1
- The Regents jumped out to a 5-0 lead after just three innings.
- Zach Fabis laced a two-out RBI single in the top of the first to give Rockford a 1-0 lead.
- The Regents then added a trio of runs in second off a Zach Duke three-run home run, to extend their advantage to 4-0.
- Rockford had just one hit in the third, but capitalized off a Green Knight error to plate a run and make it a 5-0 game.
- Five runs was plenty for Rockford University starting pitcher Brayden Bidwell. Bidwell did not allow a run until the seventh and retired seven or more batters in a row twice over that span.
- The Green Knights finally got on the board with a solo home run off the bat of Matt Perry to cut the RU lead down to 5-1 heading into the eighth.
- Following a scoreless eighth, Rockford plated a trio of runs in the top of the ninth. Joseph Stagowski drove in the first run off an RBI double, and then Austin Massat blasted a two-run home run to push the RU lead to 8-1.
- Brayden Bidwell then retired the Green Knights in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.
Game 2
- Game two had the exact opposite start to it as game one. This time it was St. Norbert who jumped out to an early 4-0 lead.
- The Green Knights scored a pair of runs in the first, one more in the third and another in the fourth to take a four-run advantage.
- Rockford had just two hits over the first five innings, and none after the first, as the Regents entered the sixth still trailing 4-0.
- Fortunately, the Regents exploded for five runs in the fifth to take their first lead of the game. Rockford scored its first run off a St. Norbert error, and then got a pair of clutch two-out, two-run singles off the bats of Blaise Mace and Ryan Stary to make it a 5-4 game.
- Rockford then added a pair of crucial insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning. The Regents once again capitalized on a Green Knight error to plate their first run, and then Blaise Mace lifted a sacrifice fly into right to extend Rockford's lead to 7-4.
- The top of the ninth got off to a bit of a shaky start for the Regents. St. Norbert's Tevor Reinhardt led off the inning with a home run, and then the very next batter singled to bring the tying run to the plate. Fortunately, the Regents turned to Zach Fabis, who promptly retired all three batters he faced to earn the save and secure Rockford's 7-5 win.
Game 1
- Starting pitcher Brayden Bidwell was magnificent on the mound for the Regents. Bidwell went all 9 innings to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the year. He allowed just 4 hits and 1 run while striking out 6 Green Knights.
- Zach Duke was 2-for-4 at the plate. Duke crushed his first collegiate home run, scored a run and had 3 RBIs.
- Austin Massat went 1-for-3 and belted his first home run as a Regent. He also scored a run and drove in 2 more.
- Joseph Stagowski finished 2-for-5 with 2 doubles, an RBI and 2 runs scored.
- Jake Bilotta was 2-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored.
- Bryce Stanton finished 2-for-5.
Game 2
- Joseph Stagowski finished 2-for-3 with a double and 2 runs scored.
- Blaise Mace was 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs and a run scored.
- Ryan Stary went 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs.
- Aaron Monti pitched a pair of innings in relief to pick up the win and improve to 3-0 this year. Monti allowed just 1 hit and no runs while striking out a batter.
- Zach Fabis came in and pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save in as many chances.
