Baseball Walks Off Illinois College on Senior Day

Monmouth erases 4-0 deficit to win 5-4

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/30/2023) — The Monmouth College baseball team finished Midwest Conference play on Sunday with a 5-4 walkoff win against Illinois College. The Scots (16-20, 11-13) kept their postseason hopes alive with the win, rallying from 4-0 down to win on Senior Day.

The Blueboys scored in the first three innings and built a 4-0 lead against Monmouth starter Tim McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois). Monmouth got on the board in the third inning. Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Texas) doubled to right and moved to third on a sac bunt. Nate Melvin (Ottawa, Illinois) delivered a sacrifice fly to score Scott.

In the fourth, Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) singled with one out and moved to third on an errant pickoff throw. Christian Centeno (Miami, Florida) cut the IC lead to 4-2 with a single.

It was still 4-2 into the bottom of the sixth. Jack Kuethe (Pekin, Illinois) led off with a double and Lummus was hit by a pitch. Both moved up on a sacrifice bunt and Kuethe scored on a wild pitch. With two on and two out, Scott tied the game with an infield single as Lummus scored.

Cade Sharp (Aledo, Illinois) struck out five in a row at one point and kept IC off the scoreboard. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Melvin doubled down the right-field line. He moved to third on a groundout and IC intentionally walked Kuethe. With Lummus at the plate, Melvin scored on a wild pitch for the 5-4 walkoff win.

McNally allowed three earned runs on four hits over four innings as he struck out five. Sharp (3-1) picked up the win with four shutout innings. He allowed just one hit and struck out six.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Monmouth won the season-series 2-1 and improved to 113-74 all-time against Illinois College including 18-10 under coach Betourne. Kuethe had two doubles and is now 13-for-29 (.449) with 11 walks, 13 RBI and 10 extra-base hits during a seven-game hitting streak. Scott had his first collegiate double. Monmouth honored 10 seniors in a pregame ceremony. Monmouth heads to Augustana for a makeup game on Tuesday at 7 p.m.