LOVES PARK, IL – The Dock Spiders (8-7) were able to take one of two games on the road and split the doubleheader against the Rockford Rivets (9-7) on Thursday night.
Game One
For the second time this season, the Rivets and Dock Spiders played a doubleheader after their first game was postponed due to rain. An early start in game one helped the Dock Spiders get the 6-4 victory. Parker Noland (Vanderbilt University) started the top of the second with a leadoff walk, followed by a John Rhodes (University of Kentucky) grounder to third that went under the glove of Chase Estep (University of Kentucky) to let Rhodes get to first. Victor Scott II (West Virginia University) came in and grounded to first base, but a throw to second was botched which brought in Noland to make it 1-0. With Rhodes at third, Jack Alexander (Austin Peay) lined a base hit into left field that scored a run and made it 2-0. Scott II would cross home on a wild pitch that gave the Dock Spiders a 3-0 lead. The three runs came in on only one hit and two fielding errors by the Rivets.
The Rivets wouldn’t get their first runs until the bottom of the fourth inning, where Cam McDonald (University of Illinois) lined a double deep into right field that scored a run. Kirk Liebert (Wabash Valley College) struck out swinging, but an errant throw to first from Alexander to try and secure the out got into right field and brought in another run for the Rivets.
Fond du Lac put up three more runs in the last three innings, starting with a Sam Novitske (University of Oregon) double to lead off the fifth. Novitske advanced to third on a wild pitch and came in to score after Taylor Jackson (University of Illinois) grounded out up the middle and made it 4-2 Dock Spiders.
The Rivets plated a run in their half of the fifth inning to get within a run again and make it 4-3.
Rhodes would help the Dock Spiders get the run right back in the top of the sixth after launching a home run into left field, his first of the 2020 season.
One more run would score in the final frame for Fondy, a wild pitch that allowed Novitske to score and pad the lead for the Dock Spiders, 6-3.
The Rivets made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, scoring one run and getting the chance to send the game to extras, but Nate Thomas (Northern Illinois University) was able to close it down and secure the game one 6-4 victory for the Dock Spiders.
Chris Aldrich (UCLA) had a solid outing on the mound, giving up just one hit and no runs in his three innings of work. Drew Irvine (University of Iowa) came in to relieve Aldrich and received the win, pitching three innings and striking out five. Thomas recorded his second save of the season after closing out the seventh inning while recording a strikeout.
Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader was very different, a pitchers duel that came down to the final inning.
Rockford scored a run in the bottom of the second inning after a pickoff throw to first from Alexander sailed into right field to make it a 1-0 Rivets lead.
The Rivets got their second run in the bottom of the fifth after Matt Higgins (Bellarmine University) crushed a solo home run to right to make it 2-0.
Fond du Lac was able to get a run in the top of the sixth after Aaron Anderson (Liberty University) crushed a double into right field that brought in Jackson from second to get Fondy to within one.
The top of the seventh was worth the price of admission. Rhodes started the inning with a single but was taken off the base pads after Brayden Frazier (University of Iowa) grounded into a fielder’s choice that was almost a double play. Ryan Ritter (University of Kentucky) reached two batters later on a walk to bring Novitske to the plate with runners on first and second and two out. With a 1-1 count, Novitkse drilled a line drive back up the middle, but Noah DeLuga (University of Minnesota) made a miraculous catch on the comebacker to end the game.
Jake Carr (West Virginia University) pitched a great game, throwing for five innings and striking out five in his second appearance of the season. Ryan Duffy (University of Minnesota) came in for the sixth and allowed only one hit and struck out a batter.
The Dock Spiders will travel to Wisconsin Rapids to take on the Rafters at 6:35 pm for the second time this week. Fond du Lac will send UCLA freshman Jake Saum on the mound to face Rafters’ ace Glenn Albanese. Fans can listen to tonight’s game live on KFIZ AM1450 or at the “Listen Live” link on the team website.
