By: Emily Tuttle

ROCKFORD, Ill. — A sunny Tuesday in Rockford that brought fans $2 beers couldn’t warm the bats of the Rockford Rivets (1-1), who fell to the Kenosha Kingfish 10-7, splitting their first series of the season.

The Rivets struggled offensively in their second game, with nine hits on the night to the Kingfish’s 16. The Fish spread the love throughout their lineup, with all but one batter recording a hit, and all but two with multiple. 

The Rivets, down 10-1 in the bottom of the seventh, though, showed a resilience and heart that will likely only grow throughout the season.

Matthew Steinberg (Manhattan College) got the start on the mound for the Rivets, going four innings where he struck out seven batters on 85 pitches and gave up four hits. 

“A lot of traffic on the bases, but he got out of traffic the whole time,” Rivets manager Bob Koopmann said. “He only had the one run in four innings, so he got us off to a good start.”

The game was knotted 1-1 at the top of the fourth, but Grant Schroeder (Hawaii Pacific University) struggled to keep up Steinberg’s momentum. 

He failed to maintain control on the mound and find the zone. Though he struck out his first batter, Kenosha’s Jackson Brewer belted a double shortly after in the top of the fifth, followed by a two-run shot to left field. Schroeder got out of the inning with a strikeout and stranded Kenosha’s batters. 

But things began to unravel for Schroeder and the home team in the top of the sixth, when the Kingfish went all the way through its order, with seven consecutive hits and six runs scored. Koopmann called to the pen, bringing in Anthony Sorrentino (Roosevelt University), who got the Rivets out of the inning, but not before adding two more earned runs for the Kingfish. 

Koopmann said that though the middle innings were a struggle, he knows that Schroeder will be back for better outings in the future and assured his confidence in the pitcher. 

The Rivets faithful who donned their rally cap got to see signs of life from the Screws in the bottom of the seventh. Leading off, Jackson Forbes (University of Arizona) belted his second single of the night, followed by a hit by Colin McCormick (Bradley University), earning a double after the ball took a Rivet’s bounce off third base to allow McCormick to reach second. 

Davis Collie (John A. Logan C.C) stepped up to the plate, delivering an RBI single after Bryce Nevils (John A. Logan C.C) took the free pass to first to load the bases. The Rivets’ gears started to turn as a SAC fly by Jack Scheri (Stony Brook University) allowed Nevils to tag up and score. 

Rivets returner and fan-favorite George Gouriotis (Edgewood College) took over on the mound in the top of the eighth, welcomed by cheers from the remaining fans. Gouriotis struck out his first two batters and became a bright spot for the pitching staff on an otherwise dim night. 

“George’s two innings—keeping us in it and giving us a chance to hopefully be able to get the tying run to the plate,” Koopman said. 

The Rivets’ resilience took them to the bottom of the ninth, as Caleb Rhodes (Olive-Harvey College) got his first hit as a Rivet with a double bouncing off the left field wall. Soon, two men were aboard with zero outs. 

Scheri’s two-out RBI single brought Rhodes home, and a couple of pitches later, a wild pitch scored Nevils. The Rivets brought the tying run to the plate, but ultimately struck out.

“Being able to come back like that, it does say a lot,” Koopmann said.

Koopmann emphasized the importance of bringing the tying run to the plate and was pleased with his team’s fight. The Rivets will look to continue this fight as they head to Michigan and face off against the Traverse City Pitt Spitters on Wednesday at 6:35 pm.