ROCKFORD, Ill. — After splitting the doubleheader with the Rockford Rivets on Saturday, the Kingfish traveled to Rockford for just one game Sunday afternoon. With the help of an eighth-inning rally, the Rivets were able to secure the victory by a final score of 6-4.

Rockford scored first on Sunday, putting up three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The first four batters of the game would collect hits off of Kingfish starting pitcher Cristian Banuelos, as Connor Kave led off the ballgame with a triple. An RBI-single in the next at-bat by Bryce Nevils would bring Kave home for the first run of the game. Joey Appino would hit a single on the first pitch of his at-bat, putting two runners on for Keith Eusebio with no one out. The second run for the Rivets would come from a single off the bat of Eusebio, but he would be thrown out trying to stretch it to a double, and Appino would score on an RBI-groundout from Alex Tabbert.

Kenosha was able to cut into the three run deficit in the top of the third from a two-RBI double by newly committed Washington State Cougar Cole Ide, who drove in Bennett Shealor and Matthew Cormier who notched a single and double to set the table for Ide.

Rockford answered immediately in the bottom of the third, and just like the first, both Kave and Nevils collected their second hits of the night to start the inning, but the Rivets would only be able to plate one off Eusebio’s second RBI-single of the contest, making the score 4-2 after three complete innings.

Both offenses went quiet through the middle innings until the Kingfish were able to score one run in the top of the seventh. Shealor would come around to score his second run of the contest from an RBI-single by Jaden Santiago, his first of the summer.

Although Banuelos did allow the four runs early, he was able to pitch seven complete innings before Jacob Vokal came on in relief. Banuelos allowed eight hits and struck out three in his outing.

With six outs remaining, the Kingfish trailed by just one run. Jake Gibson came in to pitch for the Rivets, looking to earn a save and hold the one run lead. Gibson would only pitch 2/3 of an inning and only see five batters before allowing the tying run to score, prompting Rockford to bring in George Gouriotis to preserve the tie

Peter Visconti started the eighth inning off for the Kingfish with his third single of the night and moved to second after Will Matuszak was able to earn a walk. Noah Alvarez would ground into a double play, however, Visconti would come around to score on the following at-bat from a passed ball.

Now tied at 4-4, Vokal took the mound to give the Kingfish a chance to take the lead in the ninth by scoring one run. The first batter Vokal would see would be Appino, and after a leadoff walk, the go-ahead run was on with no outs. On the fifth pitch of Eusebio’s at-bat he collected his third and fourth RBIs of the night with a two-run home run, putting the Rivets ahead 6-4 with no one out. After the home run, Vokal would retire the next batters in order, keeping the deficit to two runs going into the top of the ninth.

Gouriotis would come out to pitch for the Rivets again in the ninth, and set the Kingfish down in order to secure the 6-4 Rivets victory.

Kenosha will return to Historic Simmons Field for their final homestand of the summer before the 2026 Northwoods League playoffs begin, hosting Battle Creek and Wausau for a set of two-game series’. First pitch on Monday night is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CDT.

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