Baseball Sweeps Kenyon on Monday

Monmouth rallies for game two win

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (03/09/2026) — The Monmouth College baseball team swept Kenyon College on Monday in Florida to move their win streak to threee. Down to their last out, the Fighting Scots (3-7) scored four runs to win the nightcap 8-7 after taking the opener 4-2.

"We have been preaching team wins for a long time," said head coach Alan Betourne. "Definitely a team win in game one and a big time team win in game two as a lot of guys stepped up."

GAME ONE

Dane Keeven (Edwardsville, Illinois) kept the Owls off the board through the first three innings with a pair of strikeouts and one hit allowed. Cade Farquer (Williamsfield, Illinois) led off the third with a walk and with one out he came around to score on a triple to left by Gabriel Zeigler-Harris (East Peoria, Illinois). Aidan Parkins (Monmouth, Illinois) put the Scots on top 2-0 with a RBI single to left-center.

Kenyon loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth on a double and two walks. Parkins turned an unassisted double play at third on a line drive and a fly out to right got Keeven out of the jam.

Monmouth added on in the bottom of the inning. Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois) doubled off the third base bag and came around to score on a throwing error after Jacob Blunck (Forsyth, Illinois) beat out an infield single. Blunck made it to third on a wild pitch but was left in scoring position.

Two singles started the Kenyon fifth and a flyout to left put two in scoring position. A single up the middle cut the Monmouth lead to 3-2

The Scots got one back in the bottom of the inning. Zeigler-Harris beat out a bunt single with one out and moved to second on a grounder. Eric Campen (Washington, Illinois) delivered a RBI single to left for a 4-2 lead and moved to second on a wild pitch. Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Texas) drew a walk but Kenyon got out of the inning.

Will Baumgartner (Sycamore, Illinois) came out of the bullpen in the sixth and retired the Owls in order on six pitches. After two flyouts on two pitches, he recorded a strikeout to end the frame.

Kenyon led off the seventh with a double and drew a 1-out walk to put the tying run on base. Zach Almaguer (Monmouth, Illinois) threw out a runner trying to steal second and after a walk, Baumgartner got a foul pop up to end the game.

Keeven (1-0) earned the win as he allowed two runs on five hits over five innings in his first career start. The lefty freshman struck out two and walked two. Baumgartner picked up his first career save with two shutout innings as he allowed one hit, walked two and struck out one.

"Keeven was everything we expected and we know what he can do," said Betourne. "Proud of him going out there and getting the win."

GAME TWO

The Scots got on the board early in game two. Scott singled to left with one out in the first and scored on a double to center by Matkovic.

Freshman Tanner Rogers (Alexis, Illinois) made his college debut starting game two. A walk, hit batter and walk loaded the bases with nobody out. After a strikeout, Kenyon took a 2-1 lead with a double down the left field line. After an out at the plate, a triple put the Owls on top 4-1.

Jace Wilkerson (East Peoria, Illinois) homered with one out in the second to cut the Kenyon lead to 4-2. The homer was his first of the season and first in a Fighting Scots uniform.

Weslee Frame (Fairview, Illinois) took over on the mound in the second inning. Kenyon moved their lead to 5-2 with two singles and a wild pitch.

Campen singled with one out in the third inning and moved to third on a single by Scott. Matkovic brought home a run with a single and Scott scored on a sacrifice fly by Blunck. Wilkerson was hit by a pitch and Farquer walked but Kenyon escaped the inning with a groundout.

A single and three straight walks put Kenyon on top 6-4. Blake Sierens (Sherrard, Illinois) took over for Frame with the bases loaded as he made his college debut. An error plated another Owls run before a groundout and flyout ended the frame.

Campen led off the seventh with an infield single and Blunck walked with two outs. Wilkerson also walked to load the bases and bring up the go-ahead run. Kenyon changed pitchers and Parkins delivered a 2-run double to make it a 7-6 game. Almaguer reached on an infield single that hit off the pitcher and went to third base. Wilkerson scored and Parkisn came home on a wild throw for an 8-7 Monmouth lead.

Ryan Garofoli (Chicago, Illinois), who threw the sixth inning, retired the Owls in order in the seventh. He now has a win and a save in the last two days.

"Parkins is the definition of Monmouth College baseball," said Betourne. "He was ready to go when we called on him and came up clutch, exactly as expected."

Rogers allowed four runs on two hits, two walks and a hit batter while striking out one in his one inning of work. Frame gave up three runs on three hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings. Sierens, Caleb Ochs (Royal, Illinois) and Garofoli combined for 3 2/3 shutout innings as they allowed just one hit and struck out two.

"The bullpen was fantastic," said Betourne. "We put them in some tough spots and Will was great in game one and those guys at the end of game two got the job done."

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Campen and Matkovic had two hits in game two while Scott had three ... The homer by Wilkerson was Monmouth's first of the season and came in the team's 300th at-bat ... Zeigler-Harris had his first career triple ... He has two multi-hit games this season ... Blunck has two multi-hit games ... Parkins has a RBI in three straight games ... Almaguer threw out a potential base stealer in both games ... Baumgartner pitched for the first time after playing shortstop three times in the first four games of the seasonHe earned his first career save and Keeven earned his first career winGrant Vessey (Elma, Washington), a Northland transfer, made his Monmouth debut at first base in the seventh inning of game one and caught the final out of the game ... Sierens and Rogers made their college debuts in game two ... Garofoli earned his first career winAlums Raul Guillermo, Jack Kuethe and Christian Centeno were in attendance for the DH sweep ... Kenyon leads the all-time series 8-6 with two wins last year ... The Scots and Owls split a Florida double header in 2024 and have split the last six matchups ... Monmouth is off Tuesday before playing both Penn State Behrend and Washington College on Wednesday ... After nine games in Florida for spring break, the Scots play the home opener on Monday, March 16 against Maranatha Baptist.