By: Christopher Rodriguez

RICHMOND, Ind. — After a 12-inning, 27-run marathon Friday night, the Rockford Rivets (8-10) faced the Richmond Flying Mummies (10-8) in the finale of a four-game series Saturday.

The Flying Mummies nearly replicated their offensive performance from last night, defeating the Rivets 12-3 and winning three out of the last four matchups to win the series. The Rivets offense totaled just seven hits, cooling down from last night’s 13-run performance.  

Right-handed pitcher Matthew Steinberg (Manhattan College) took the mound for Rockford, his fourth start this season coming into the game leading his team with 18 strikeouts. Steinberg was unable to find the magic he’s had so far this summer, allowing eight runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts.

The Rivets got off to a fast start, beginning with a Connor Kave (Harper College) leadoff single, coming into the game with the fifth most hits this summer for Rockford with 11 total. Zan Von Schlegell (University of Saint Thomas) reached first base due to an error the next at-bat, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Tommy Townsend (Xavier University) was able to score Kave on a fielder’s choice, making it 1-0 Rivets.

The Flying Mummies picked up where they left off last night offensively, loading the bases with the top of their batting order and no outs. Steinberg gave up a walk to even the score, but Richmond wasn’t satisfied just yet, adding another four runs by going through their entire batting order and making it 5-1.

Richmond piled on in the bottom of the second, with their first three batters all reaching safely, which included an RBI single with no outs. The Flying Mummies were able to bring home two more batters before the end of the inning, scoring eight runs unanswered to take the lead, 8-1.

Left-handed pitcher Ryan Sigale (Lincoln Trail College) came into the ballgame in the bottom of the third inning for the Rivets, only his third appearance of the summer.

Sigale was able to temporarily quiet the Richmond offense, earning five outs against their next seven batters. In the bottom of the fourth, however, a three-run homer into right field with two outs extended the lead to 11-1 for the Flying Mummies.

Rockford’s offense found some life in the top of the fifth, after Davis Collie (John A. Logan CC) scored two runners and reached first base off a fielding error to break the 11 unanswered runs. Collie ranks second on the team in RBIs with 12 thus far.

The Flying Mummies tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth, after loading the bases once again and earning a walk to bring the runner home from third.

The game went scoreless the rest of the way, as Rockford totaled just two hits in the final four innings and was unable to find any momentum during the game.

The Rivets will begin a two-game series against the Battle Creek Battle Jacks on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets to Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.