Scots Drop Slugfest at Wabash

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/28/2026) — The Monmouth College baseball team traveled to Indiana and fell 15-12 on Friday night against Wabash. The Fighting Scots (0-3) pounded out 16 hits in the game and scored three runs in four different innings.

Aidan Parkins (Monmouth, Illinois) started the game with a single and he moved to third on a single by Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois). Jace Wilkerson (East Peoria, Illinois) put the Scots on top with a single and with two down, Jacob Blunck (Forsyth, Illinois) tripled home two for a 3-0 lead.

The Little Giants scored four runs off Monmouth starter Ethan Zaayenga (Tremont, Illinois) in the bottom of the first with two doubles, a walk, an error and a two sacrifice flies. They added on in the second with a triple and another sacrifice fly.

Down 5-3, Monmouth got the bats going again in the fourth. Parkins singled with one out and Eric Campen (Washington, Illinois) walked. Matkovic drove in Parkins with a single and Wilkerson tied the game with a single to left. Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Texas) put the Scots on top 6-5 with a single to right before a line drive double play ended the inning.

The Little Giants answered immediately with a walk, single, double and error to lead 8-6. Dane Keeven (Edwardsville, Illinois) took over on the mound in the fifth and Wabash scored on a walk, single and double before adding a run on a passed ball. They put three more on the board in the sixth to lead 13-6.

The Scots bats got going again in the seventh. Scott led off with a double and Blunck reached on an error. After an out on the bases. Will Baumgartner (Sycamore, Illinois) walked. Gabe Zeigler-Harris (East Peoria, Illinois) singled and pinch-runner Bobby Russell (Plainfield, Illinois) scored. Parkins singled home a run and another scored on an error as the Scots closed the gap to 13-9.

Down 15-9, Monmouth put more runs on the board in the ninth. Zach Almaguer (Monmouth, Illinois).led off with a walk and pinch-hitter Logan Straube (Wheaton, Illinois) was hit by a pitch. Zeigler-Harris singled and all three runners scored on an error. Campen walked with one out and Wilkerson was hit by a pitch with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate but the Little Giants closed out the game with a pop up.

Zaayenga (0-2) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on six hits and four walks over four innings. Keeven allowed six earned runs on nine hits over four innings while striking out a career-high five.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Seven starters had at least one hit for the ScotsParkins has two multi-hit games on the seasonScott had a career-high four hitsZeigler-Harris had a career-high three hitsParkins tied his career high with three hits and three ruinsBlunck tied his career high with two RBIWilkerson has at two RBI in two of the three gamesCampen walked twice, as did AlmaguerThe Scots finished the game with 16 hits with 14 singles, one double and one tripleMonmouth drew six walks and only struck out twiceThe teams had not met since 2006 and Wabash leads the all-time series 8-2The teams will play a double header on SaturdayAfter nine games in Florida for spring break, the Scots play the home opener on Monday, March 16 against Maranatha Baptist.