Guillermo Homers but Scots Fall to Grinnell 3-2

Monmouth baseball team honors coach Sander before Friday's game

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/08/2023) — The Monmouth College baseball team opened a three-game home series with Grinnell College on Friday, falling 3-2. The Pioneers (7-12, 4-4) scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning after the Fighting Scots (7-12, 3-5) tied the game in the eighth. The teams play a Saturday double header, starting at 11 a.m.

The Scots got off to a great start as Raul Guillermo III (Miami, Florida) led off the second inning with his third home run of the season for a 1-0 lead. Guillermo lost a grand slam from Tuesday's game when the contest was canceled in the fourth inning due to inclement weather.

Grinnell tied the game against Addison Fletcher (Monmouth, Illinois) with a solo homer of their own in the third inning. Neither team scored again until the Pioneers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth with a double and a two-out single.

The Scots hit into two double plays over the next two innings but finally got even in the eighth. Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois). Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois) tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left.

The Pioneers started the ninth with a walk against reliever Carson Mohler (Temple Terrace, Florida). Lummus made a diving catch in foul territory on a bunt and Grinnell stole second to get the go-ahead run into scoring position. A single to right-center gave Grinnell a 3-2 lead. Monmouth put a runner on with one out in the ninth but couldn't tie the game.

Fletcher allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings in a no-decision. He walked two and struck out five. Mohler (1-1) took the loss allowing one run on two hits while striking out one in two innings.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Monmouth honored former head coach Roger Sander in a pregame ceremony. Sander, who won a school record 373 games from 1994-2015, passed away in October. His wife Elaine, daughter Katie and grandchildren Dylan, Blake and Ashley were on hand. A #21 flag was raised in center field before Dylan and Blake threw out ceremonial first pitches. Guillermo has at least one hit in 14 of the last 15 games. Fletcher has gone at least five innings in all his starts this season. He has four quality starts and has gone seven innings in three straight starts. Fletcher has at least five strikeouts in five of his six starts. He leads the Midwest Conference with 39 innings. Monmouth leads the all-time series 138-59. Grinnell has won the last five and are 12-10 against the Scots since the start of the 2017 season. The teams will play a double header starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday.