By: Emily Tuttle

RICHMOND, IN. — The Rockford Rivets took on some seven-inning doubleheader action against the Richmond Flying Mummies today, as they hoped to keep any playoff hopes alive. In game one, the Rivets came back from down four in the sixth for a 10-6 victory.

The Mummies got some momentum going in the first inning, with runners advancing off an E5 and stolen bases before an RBI single. They had four hits in the first and scored two runs. 

Carter Lund (Madison CC) started on the bump for the Rivs. Though Lund has been a consistent arm, he struggled to find his footing tonight. After a three-run first, he gave up hits in every inning until the fourth. In the fifth, the Mummies scored four more runs to make their lead 6-2. 

Lund exited the game after five innings, giving up six earned runs and four walks.

Down four in the sixth, the Rivets got on their horse and got some work done. Gavin Taylor (UNLV) led off with a single in an inning where the entire order came to the plate. Alex Tabbert (UIC) hit an RBI single that brought Taylor home, but Connor Kave (Iona University) was out on a rundown on the play. 

With two outs, the Rivets continued their resilience. Joey Appino (Carroll University) cleared the two men on base with his single, before Ashton Zacher’s (Lamar University) RBI single brought Appino home to tie the game 6-6. 

Richmond had no answer in the sixth or the seventh, as the game headed to extra innings in the eighth. The Rivets had all the momentum and had no intention of giving it back.

The bases were quickly juiced off the top of the order in the eighth. The Mummies’ pitching could not gain control or find the zone. Kave trotted home on a wild pitch, and Tabbert scored on a bases-loaded run. 

To add insult to the Mummies’ injury, Coby Neville (Paradise Valley CC) hit an RBI sac fly to score Appino, and Keith Eusebio (Paradise Valley CC) also added another run on a wild pitch. 

The Screws’ defense was nearly perfect tonight, with only one error. They made timely putouts and defensive stops, giving the offense space for a comeback. 

Three Rivets had two RBIs on the night: Appino, Zacher and Beau Bloxdorf (Madison CC). 

All said and done, the Rivets scored eight unanswered runs across two innings, sucking the life out of Richmond. The Mummies sent pitcher after pitcher to the mound in an attempt to stop the Rivets’ advances, but to no avail. Derek Huber (Illinois-Springfield) finished the night on the mound, pitching the seventh and eighth. He gave up one walk and threw one strikeout to help the Rivets close out game one. 

They will have a quick turnaround and take on the Mummies again in game two at 7:35 pm CT.