FRANKLIN, Wis. – Marian University baseball (7-9, 3-3 NACC) swept Rockford with victories of 4-1 and 6-3.
Game one was a pitching duel with sophomore Robbie Knorr hitting a double to bring in the first run of the game in the second. Rockford responded with an unearned run in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1. This score stood until the eighth when senior Josh Gates hit a bases-clearing double to give Marian a 4-1 victory.
Graduate student Taylor Middaugh (3-2) tossed a complete-game victory allowing zero earned runs with 10 strikeouts. He would also allow just seven hits. Gates had a role in all four Marian runs going 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in.
Game two followed a similar script with Marian pulling out a come-from-behind victory. A triple from gates opened the scoring in the fifth, which was followed by a run-producing single from senior Riley Palmquist. A home run from Rockford in the next half inning saw the Regents take their first lead of the day at 3-2.
This lead didn’t last long as Marian immediately retook the lead in the next half inning. Graduate student Sean Meyer tied the game with a run-producing double before a balk saw Meyer touch home. Palmquist then came through once again with a single to put the score at 5-3. The Sabres were able to tack on a run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly from senior Jonah Landowski to set the final at 6-3.
Sophomore Logan Lange (1-2) completed the sweep with a complete game striking out 14 hitters and allowing just five hits. Eight of the nine Marian hitters recorded a hit led by Gates once again who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a run driven in.
Marian travels to No. 17 Aurora tomorrow, Sunday, April 10, for a noon twin bill.
