ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford University baseball team split a conference doubleheader, losing the first game 17-15 and winning the second game 16-6 over the Dominican University Stars. The opener was an absolute slug fest with only two full innings without any runs scored. Rockford did hold a 15-10 lead through seven innings, but unfortunately the Stars were able to rally in the ninth inning with seven runs to take a 17-15 lead and hold on for the win in game one. Game two again saw Rockford take the advantage, getting out to a 7-0 lead after just two innings. The Regents were able to secure control of game two with an eight-run seventh inning that allowed Rockford to walk-off the game via the mercy rule to win game two by a final score of 16-6. With the game two win, Rockford secures itself a spot in the 2025 NACC Tournament.
Game 1
- The Stars struck first with a two-run home run in the top of the first to give Dominican an early 2-0 advantage.
- The Regents responded with three runs in their half of the first. Austin Massat delivered an RBI single for the first run of the inning and Nate Burdin drove in the next two runs on an RBI groundout thanks to the speed of Zach Fabis to make it a 3-2 lead for Rockford.
- Dominican tied the game up in the top of the second on a bases-clearing double to make it 5-3. However, Rockford responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game on an RBI single by Jake Bilotta and a sacrifice fly by Joseph Stagowski to tie the game at 5-5.
- The scoring trend continued as Dominican plated a single run in the top of the third to make it a 6-5 game, but Rockford took the lead with an RBI single by Blaise Mace and an RBI double by Cobi Cooper to give the Regents a 7-6 lead.
- However, the Stars quickly tied the game in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-7, but Rockford scored again in the bottom half to take the lead again. Austin Massat delivered an RBI single and Blaise Mace knocked a two-run single to give the Regents a 10-7 lead.
- The Stars were eventually able tie the game with three runs scored between the fifth and seventh innings, tying the game on a sacrifice fly to make it 10-10.
- The Regents took the lead right back in the bottom of the seventh with a big five-run inning on just three hits.
- Jake Bilotta drove in the first two runs of the inning with a two-run missile over the left field wall to make it 12-10. Bryce Stanton delivered a sacrifice fly, Nate Burdin added an RBI single and Rockford scored its final run on a double steal to take a 15-10 lead.
- Neither team scored again until the ninth inning. Unfortunately, it was Dominican as the Stars bashed a three-run homer, and two two-run singles to allow them to come from behind and take a 17-15 lead with just three outs left for the Regent bats.
- Unfortunately, Rockford was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Stars to take game one by a final score of 17-15.
Game 2
- This time Rockford struck first as the Regents put together a four-run first inning, taking advantage of two Stars errors in the inning, capped off by a sacrifice fly from Blaise Mace to give the Regents an early 4-0 lead.
- Rockford added onto that thanks to a three-run shot by Austin Massat in the bottom of the second to make it 7-0 Rockford.
- Dominican was able to cut into the Rockford lead with an RBI double and a steal of home to make it 7-2.
- Neither team scored again until the fifth inning where Rockford scratched a single run across in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff double by Zach Fabis, he eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Cobi Cooper to make it an 8-2 lead.
- The Stars cut the Regent lead in half with a two-run top of the sixth on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to make it an 8-4 game.
- Dominican continued to cut into the RU lead with two more runs in the seventh inning, scoring on a wild pitch and a Regent error to make it just an 8-6 lead for Rockford.
- Fortunately, Rockford responded with a massive eight-run bottom of the seventh. Zach Duke delivered the first run of the inning with an RBI single; Jake Bilotta, Joseph Stagowski and Austin Massat plated the next three runs with two bases-loaded walks and a bases-loaded hit by pitch to make it 12-6.
- Zach Fabis added to that with a sacrifice fly, Nate Burdin delivered an RBI single, Austin Massat scored on a wild pitch and Cobi Cooper walked the game off for Rockford with an RBI single to give the Regents the 16-6 win via the mercy rule and force the split with Dominican.
Game 1
- Jake Bilotta finished 3-for-5 with his 6th homer of the season, a double, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, a walk and a stolen base.
- Blaise Mace was 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs and a run.
- Austin Massat slashed 2-for-5 with 3 runs and 2 RBIs.
- Bryce Stanton was 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
Game 2
- Austin Massat was 1-for-4 with his 2nd homer of the season, 3 runs, 1 walk and a career-high 5 RBIs.
- Zach Fabis finished 3-for-3 with a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs.
- Nate Burdin was 2-for-5 with an RBI a run and 3 stolen bases.
- Blaise Mace went 2-for-3 with 2 triples, a run, an RBI and a walk.
- Alex Easton delivered a strong 5.0 innings of work, allowing just 2 earned runs and racking up 5 strikeouts on the day.
- Zach Duke slashed 2-for-4 with 2 runs and an RBI.
