Nate Melvin Drives in Three as Scots Beat Blackburn on Monday

Scots score 12 runs on 12 hits

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/11/2023) — The Monmouth College baseball team scored multiple runs in three separate innings to cruise past Blackburn 12-5 in a non-conference game on Monday afternoon. The Scots (8-14) collected 12 hits and drew seven walks in the victory.

Blackburn scored twice in the first inning against Monmouth starting pitcher Cade Sharp (Aledo, Illinois). Monmouth answered immediately to take the lead in the bottom of the first. Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois) and Todd Fowler (Chatham, Illinois) both singled before Raul Guillermo III (Miami, Florida) walked to load the bases. With one down, Nate Mevlin (Ottawa, Illinois) doubled to score two and Guillermo came home on a throwing error for a 3-2 Monmouth lead.

Blackburn tied the game in the third and Monmouth again answered right away. Fowler was hit by a pitch and Guillermo singled. Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) gave Monmouth a 4-3 lead with a single and Blackburn changed pitchers. Melvin's infield single scored Guillermo for a 5-3 lead and Lummus scored on an error. After a double steal, Jack Kuethe (Pekin, Illinois) made it 7-3 with a sacrifice fly to right and Komater scored on a groundout to make it 8-3.

Blackburn scored an unearned run against freshman reliever Steven Martinez (Hidalgo, Texas) in the fifth. Monmouth got that run back and added more in the bottom of the fifth. Melvin was hit by a pitch and after a pitching change, Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois) singled. Kuethe singled home a run and Monmouth loaded the bases with two outs. Fowler walked to score Kuethe and Guillermo's single to center plated two more for a 12-4 lead.

Blackburn scored against reliever Tyler Sears (Bloomington, Illinois) in the seventh. A two-out double came around to score after a pair of wild pitches.

Sharp took a no-decision as he allowed three runs on seven hits over four innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out four. Martinez (1-0) allowed an unearned run in his inning of work and earned the win. Owen Wolfe (Galesburg, Illinois) threw a shutout inning and recorded a strikeout. Sears allowed a run on one hit while striking out one in his inning. Luke Kelty (Spring Valley, Illinois) threw two hitless and shutout innings with one strikeout.

Monmouth returns to conference action on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. home game against Knox . The game will be broadcast on WRAM as the Scots go for the season sweep against the Prairie Fire.