Fletcher Strikes Out Eight in Baseball's Home Opener Loss

Hits at a premium in pitchers' duel v. Chicago

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/02/2023) — The Monmouth College baseball team finally got to play at home on Saturday but the offense was held in check in a 5-0 loss to the University of Chicago in Midwest Conference action. The Scots (6-9, 2-2) had just one hit through seven innings and a couple errors helped the Maroons (6-7, 0-1) open the series with a win.

Addison Fletcher (Monmouth, Illinois) and Chicago starter Drew Bryan matched zeros and strikeouts early. Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois) doubled for the Scots in the first inning but was stranded at second. Fletcher allowed just a single through the first four innings before walking three in the fifth inning. A double play ball could have ended the inning but an error on the play gave Chicago a 2-0 lead.

Monmouth committed two errors in the sixth allowing an unearned run to score for a 3-0 Chicago lead. The Maroons plated a fourth run in the seventh with a double and scored the final run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

The Scots mounted a rally in the ninth as Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) and Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois) both singled. Houck was out at second on a fielder's choice from Komater, putting runners on the corners. But Chicago got the next two outs to end the game.

Fletcher (2-2) took the loss as he allowed two earned runs on four hits over seven innings while striking out eight. Derek Fitzgerald (Robertsville, Missouri) allowed one run on one hit and one walk in the eighth inning. Toby Turnquist (Monmouth, Illinois) threw a perfect ninth inning.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Raul Guillermo (Miami, Florida) had an 11-game hit streak and five-game RBI streak end. Houck is 15-for-29 in the last six games. Fletcher has gone at least five innings in all his starts this season. He has three quality starts and at least eight strikeouts in three starts this season. The last time Chicago played a regular-season game in Monmouth was in 2013. Last year Chicago swept the season series 3-0. The schedule was flipped for the weekend with one game Saturday and two now scheduled for Sunday with the first game starting at Noon.