By: Christopher Rodriguez
ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Rockford Rivets (9-14) returned home Wednesday night to open a four-game series against the Kalamazoo Growlers (13-10), the teams’ first meeting this summer.
A rain-shortened, six-inning matchup went Rockford’s way as the Rivets beat Kalamazoo 7-2, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Rockford collected 11 hits and held the Growlers to just two.
Right-handed pitcher Matthew Steinberg (Manhattan College) made his fifth start of the season for the Screws, coming into the game with 20 strikeouts, second on the team so far this summer. Through five innings, he allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts.
The Growlers’ offense got started right away, loading the bases with one out in the top of the first inning. Steinberg found himself in a 3-0 count, but battled back to strike out the batter and the next one that followed to get out of the inning.
The Rivets found themselves in a similar situation in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases following back-to-back singles from Connor Kave (Harper College) and Jack Scheri (Stony Brook University), and a two-out walk from Zan Von Schlegell (University of St. Thomas). Rockford was unable to capitalize, grounding out to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded.
In the top of the second inning, a walk and an error put two runners on for Kalamazoo with no outs. A sacrifice fly brought a runner to third, and the Growlers delivered an RBI single to take the lead 1-0.
Rockford went into the bottom of the fourth having been shut out the last 23 innings of baseball they’ve played, waiting for a spark on offense with the return of Jackson Forbes (University of Arizona) back in the lineup.
Schlegell sent a one-out single into left field, followed by an error from the Growlers’ third baseman to get Coby Neville (Paradise Valley CC) to first base. Alex Tabbert (Harper College) broke the scoreless streak for the Screws with an RBI single to center field to tie things up.
A strikeout later, River Lindsey (Bradley University) earned an RBI single of his own to give the Rivets their first lead in 47 innings. Forbes joined the scoring festivities with a two-run single to make it 4-1 Rockford, and bring his RBI total to 11 on the summer.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Rivets offense added more fuel to the fire. Kave and Scheri both reached base to begin the frame, where Tommy Townsend (Xavier University) gave the Rivets its third RBI single of the game to extend the lead. Schlegell continued the inning, putting both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, backed by more RBI singles from Neville and Tabbert to make it 7-1 Rivets.
Kalamazoo put a runner into scoring position at the top of the sixth, bringing him in with a sacrifice fly to break the seven unanswered runs and cut the lead to five.
The rain began to pour down at the bottom of the inning, forcing a stoppage with a lightning delay after storms began to enter the Rockford area. The Rivets intern team worked through the conditions to lay down the tarp, and the game was ultimately called with the number of runs the Screws needed to take the victory.
Rockford will take on the Growlers in a doubleheader Thursday at 11:05 a.m. and 6:35 p.m., looking to begin a winning streak of their own and work their way back up the division standings.