Scots Baseball Sweep Grinnell Saturday

Fletcher tosses complete game in opener

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (05/02/2021) — The Monmouth College Fighting Scots team went to Grinnell, Iowa on Saturday and swept a double header with 13-1 and 16-12 wins. The Scots are now 13-8 overall and 11-6 in Midwest Conference play as they come home to host Grinnell on Sunday.

"The guys played well today," said coach Alan Betourne. "We got started with some early runs and Addi (Fletcher) pitched well in the opener."

Monmouth jumped out to that early lead in the top of the first. Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois) singled with one out and moved to third when Sean Davis (Barrington, Illinois) singled. Sean Murphy (Milan, Illinois) gave the Scots a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.

Two innings later the Scots extended the lead. Jackson Van Iwaarden (Ballwin, Missouri) reached on an error and Jake Brewer (Gibson City, Illinois) launched a two-run homer for a 3-0 lead. Nate Melvin (Ottawa, Illinois) was hit by a pitch and Jordan Ball (Moscow Mills, Missouri) singled. Komater drove in Melvin with a sacrifice fly and Davis doubled home Ball for a 4-0 Scots lead.

In the third the runs kept coming for the Scots. Van Iwaarden singled, Brewer singled and Melvin walked to load the bases. Ball singled home two for a 7-0 lead and Matt Temaner (Gurnee, Illinois) made it 8-0 with a single.

The Pioneers scored a run off Addison Fletcher (Monmouth, Illinois) in the bottom of the third. After two hits and an error Fletcher got a strikeout and a fly out to force Grinnell to leave the bases loaded.

Still leading 8-1 the Scots added to the lead in the sixth. Temaner scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-1 and Van Iwaarden singled to bring home Murphy.

In the seventh Davis singled home Melvin to give the Scots a 10-run lead. A balk scored Ball and Van Iwaarden walked to force home Temaner for a 13-1 lead. Fletcher retired the Pioneers in order in the seventh to end the game on the 10-run rule. Fletcher (4-0) picked up the win as he struck out four and allowed one hit on five runs over seven innings.

In game two the Scots fell behind 2-0 before scoring six times in the second. Anthony Ruggles (Aledo, Illinois) walked with the bases loaded and Ball was hit by a pitch to tie the game. Temaner put the scots up 3-2 with a single and Komater walked to score Ruggles. Davis singled home two more as Monmouth took a 6-2 lead.

Grinnell took an 8-6 lead into the fourth before the teams traded runs. Van Iwaarden homered for the Scots run but Monmouth trailed 9-7 after five.

"We were a little down after they tied the game and took the lead and we looked defeated," said Betourne. "We challenged the guys the last four innings to step up, relax and win each inning and they did."

A run scored on an error on in the sixth and Temaner scored when Murphy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Monmouth went on top for good when Melvin singled home two and Ruggles made it 12-9 with a single.

In the seventh Davis gave the Scots a 13-10 lead with a single to score Temaner. Justin Bost (Reynolds, Illinois) tripled home Murphy and Davis for a 15-10 lead. The Scots final run scored in the ninth as David came home on a wild pitch.

Monmouth used five pitchers in game two with Eli Herrera (Romeoville, Illinois) getting the win in relief.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Davis had six hits on the day while Temaner had fiveMelvin and Van Waarden also had hits in both gamesFletcher's complete game was the first of his college careerTemaner, Komater, Murphy, Ball, Melvin and Van Iwaarden all scored in both gamesVan Iwaarden, Davis, Komater, Murphy, Ball and Temaner had RBI in both gamesThe Scots had 12 hits in both games with 10 singles and two extra-base hits in each gameThey drew six walks in both gamesWith a stolen base in each game Temaner has 18 career steals, tied for 16th on the career listHe now has 138 hits in his career, tied for 15th on the listTemaner scored five runs on Saturday to move to a tie for fifth on the career list with 122The Scots host Grinnell in a home doubleheader on Sunday at NoonThe 12 seniors will be honored in a pre-game ceremony at 11:45 a.m.