Centeno Keys Rallies as Scots Sweep Vikings

Monmouth draws 25 walks, collects 25 hits in DH

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/23/2023) — The Monmouth College baseball team drew 25 walks, collected 25 hits and scored 20 runs to sweep Lawrence University on the road Saturday. The Fighting Scots (12-18, 7-11) rallied to win the opener 11-8 and won the second game 9-4. Jack Kuethe (Pekin, Illinois) tied a single game Monmouth record with five walks in the opening game

Lawrence scored three runs in the first inning against Monmouth starter Addison Fletcher (Monmouth, Illinois). The Scots got on the board in the second as Christian Centeno (Miami, Florida) singled home Kuethe after the latter's first walk of the game.

Down 5-1, the Scots scored again in the fourth with a two out rally. Nate Reed (Chenoa, Illinois) singled and Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois) walked. Todd Fowler (Chatham, Illinois) reached on an error to load the bases and Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) singled home two runs.

In the fourth, Nate Melvin (Ottawa, Illinois) reached on an error and Centeno was hit by a pitch with one out. Melvin scored on an error as Reed reached base and Fowler singled to tie the game. Lummus drew a bases loaded walk for a 6-5 lead and with two down, Kuethe walked to score Houck.

Lawrence tied the game with a home run in the seventh and took the lead with a two-out double in the eighth. The ninth inning had some quirks for the Scots. With one out, the Scots loaded the bases with three straight walks. With two down, the home plate umpire called catcher's interference and awarded Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois) first base with the tying run scoring. But after a conference, the call was reversed and Komater returned to the plate with a full count. He hit a line drive to second base and an error allowed all Monmouth runners to move up a base as Lummus scored to tie the game. Centeno singled to left to bring home two more runs for a 10-8 lead and Reed walked to load the bases. Houck walked to bring home Komater for an 11-8 Scots lead as Monmouth drew five walks in the inning.

Fletcher allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits over six innings in a no-decision. He struck out two and walked four. Toby Turnqust (Monmouth, Illinois) picked up the win as he allowed two earned runs on five hits over two innings while striking out three. Nick Corman (Monmouth, Illinois) threw a perfect ninth inning with a strikeout for his first save of the season.

GAME TWO

Lawrence scored two in the first against Jeff Garrett (Aledo, Illinois) in game two. Monmouth tied the game in the third inning, again using walks. Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois) led off with a walk and Lummus walked. An error scored Matkovic and Lummus came home on a single by Komater.

Monmouth took the lead in the top of the fifth. Kuethe doubled with one out and Komater singled to put runners on the corners. Centeno delivered an RBI single for a 3-2 lead but the Vikings tied the game with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning.

Melvin led off the seventh with a single and he moved up on a sacrifice bunt. Centeno again put the Scots on top with a single to right for a 4-3 lead.

Monmouth broke the game open in the top of the ninth. Reed doubled home Komater for a 5-3 lead and Houck's single added a run. Matkovic walked and Reed scored on a wild pitch. After a pitching change, Lummus drove in two runs for an 8-3 Scots lead and Kuethe singled home Lummus for a 9-3 lead. The Vikings plated one run in the bottom of the ninth but Jakob Brokaw (Andalusia, Illinois) closed out the game with a strikeout.

Garrett (2-2) picked up the win as he allowed three runs in five hits over seven innings. He walked three and struck out nine. Brokaw picked up his first save with two innings in which he allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out three.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots drew 25 walks on the day with 15 in game one. That's the third most walks in a single game in team history with the record being 17 from 1984. Kuethe drew five walks in the opener tying a single-game record set by Dave McKillip in 1978. Lummus, Centeno, Melvin, Komater and Reed had hits in both games. Centeno had six hits and five RBI on the day. Lummus also drove in five runs. On Sunday the Scots face Lawrence at 11 a.m. and then travel to Ripon for a 4 p.m. makeup game.