By: Emily Tuttle
ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Rockford Rivets (2-0) continued to chug onward in their homestand against the Flying Mummies (0-2) on a 90 degree $2 hot dog Wednesday night. The Rivets were ahead early, and the Mummies came back from the dead in the third and fifth innings, stealing the lead. But the Rivets had some magic of their own in the bottom of the eighth off a grand slam from Zan Von Schlegell (University of St. Thomas).
From the jump, the Rivets continued in the momentum they started the night before in the first game of the second half of the season.
It started in the bottom of the second when Joey Appino (Carroll University), in his Rivets debut, belted a two-run homer to center field. The Loves Park native went would go 4-four-5 on the night with three RBIs. His presence in the second half of the season looks promising to provide another strong hitter.
Rivets manager Bob Koopmann said Appino will help the team “immensely,” and he is hopeful for the position player’s depth, especially during games reaching triple digit temperatures.
To continue the second, the top of the lineup hit four straight singles, the latter two scoring the hitters of the first two. Up four, though, the Mummies had an answer.
Jeremy Allen (University of Kansas) got his start on the bump and went scoreless for the first two. But in the top of the third, after gaining two outs, a slew of wild pitches, walks and hits put the Mummies in an advantageous position, the game tied after they quieted the home crowd.
Logan Koeller (Florida A&M University) got his first appearance for the Rivets tonight, reliving Allen and giving away seven walks. He did get out a jam in the fourth after he walked three straight batters and no runs came across. He went two innings and got two strikeouts before Derek Huber (Illinois-Springfield) took over. Huber, also making his first appearance, only got one out, but allowed three earned runs.
“The issue was the free bases we gave,” Koopmann said.
The Rivets pitching staff gave out walk after walk, especially in the middle innings, and totaled 11 on the night. Koopmann said he has confidence that the new pitchers will gain their footing in future appearances.
The Rivets’ bats followed the Chicago weather this week, heating up with 14 hits. Gavin Taylor (University of Nevada Las Vegas) was also efficient in his Rivets debut, going 3-for-5 with a double and one RBI.
Then Ammon Shaul (GateWay CC) took over on the mound in the top of the sixth, gaining two strikes over three innings. Shaul put up zeros in all three innings he pitched, giving the offense room to work.
“Ammon,” Koopmann said with a pause. “With those three shutout innings to let us come back was really really big. That’s the best he’s thrown.”
Shaul had a huge smile on his face post game, as he leveraged a dicey couple innings and turned it for his teams’ favor.
Still, the Rivets found themselves down 9-6 heading into the bottom of the eighth. The first three due up reached via the walk or hit by pitch.
The bases juiced, Von Schlegell did his job.
He received a first pitch fast ball and crushed it over the towering left field wall. The once lackadaisical fans jumped out of their seats cheering for the Rivets first grand slam of the season and for the newly discovered lead.
From there, the Rivets didn’t let go, and they tacked on three more runs and sent Jimmy Amptmann (Davenport University) to finish the game with three final outs.
“I think everyone was happy to have a fresh start […] You’re never out of the game.”
The second half of the season couldn’t have come at a better time for the Screws as they begin to heat up and continue their series against the Flying Mummies on Thursday at 6:35 pm.