Scots Dominate Knox in Double Header Baseball Sweep

Garrett tosses complete game shutout in opener

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/13/2021) — The Monmouth College baseball team didn't allow an earned run on Monday as they swept rival Knox College 9-0 and 16-1 at Glasgow Field. The Scots (7-3, 5-1) got a nine-inning complete game shutout from Jeff Garrett (Aledo, Illinois) in the opener and two pitchers combined to allow just an unearned run in the nightcap.

The double header, originally scheduled for Sunday, started at noon Monday. In the second inning the Scots took advantage of two errors as Jordan Ball (Moscow Mills, Missouri) delivered a sacrifice fly. Matt Temaner (Gurnee, Illinois) doubled home a run and Mike Dato (Oswego, Illinois) made it 3-0 with a single. Sean Davis (Barrington, Illinois) capped the inning with a RBI single to score Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois).

Garrett cruised through the Knox lineup allowing just a pair of infield singles in the second inning. He racked up a career-high 11 strikeouts and walked three while going the distance.

"I felt good out there today, attacking with the fastball early," said Garrett. "My off speed stuff was there too which allowed me to attack batters and get outs."

Meanwhile the offense added on in the fourth as Temaner stole home on the back end of a double steal. Dato drove in Komater in the sixth for a 6-0 lead. Two walks and two more Knox errors gave the Scots three runs and a 9-0 lead.

"We've been swinging the bats well, it is fun to watch," said Garrett. "We are a scary team to face when the offense is like this and the energy is high right now in the dugout."

Knox scored their only run of the day in the top of the first inning in game two with the help of a two-base throwing error. The Scots immediately responded and took the lead for good. Dato drove home Temaner with a single and Davis doubled to put two in scoring position. Justin Bost (Reynolds, Illinois) grounded out to second as Dato scored for a 2-1 Scots lead.

The third inning was huge for the Scots and they only picked up two hits. Jackson Van Iwaarden (Ballwin, Missouri) reached on an error and with one out, Ball doubled for a 3-1 lead. Temaner and Komater both reached on errors and Davis singled for a 5-1 Scots lead. Bost and Jack Kuethe (Pekin, Illinois) both reached on separate errors with runs scoring for a 7-1 lead. Van Iwaarden walked and Shamus Murphy (Milan, Illinois) was hit by a pitch to force home a run. Ball walked to bring home another run as did Temaner, giving the Scots a 10-1 lead.

In the fourth the Scots added on with more help. With one out and the bases loaded, Temaner scored on a wild pitch and Komater scored on a second wild pitch. Bost doubled home a run for a 13-1 lead and an error gave the Scots a fourth run in the inning.

Monmouth added two runs in the sixth inning. Van Iwaarden singled home Nate Melvin (Ottawa, Illinois) and he scored on a triple by Murphy to put the Scots up 16-1.

Trevor Davis (Waterloo, Illinois) earned the win as he didn't allow an earned run over six innings of work. Davis struck out two, walked one and allowed one hit. Austin Vannakan (East Galesburg, Illinois) allowed one hit over one shut out inning as the Scots run-ruled Knox.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The top of the order combined to go 9-for-12 in the first game with five runs scored as Temaner, Komater and Dato each had three hitsThe game one outing was Garrett's second career startThe last time the Scots had a nine-inning complete game shutout was in March of 2019The Scots didn't commit an error in the openerMonmouth drew eight walks in game twoOn the day Monmouth out-hit Knox 24-4Temaner, Komater, Dato and Davis each finished the day with four hits and at least three runs scoredDato and Davis drove in three runs on the dayMonmouth is 8-2 against Knox over the last 10 gamesThe Scots are next in action with a DH at Grinnell College on Sunday and the next home game is Tuesday, April 20 with a Noon DH against Cornell College.

Murphy Named Player of Week: With three RBI in Friday's double header split, Monmouth College catcher Shamus Murphy (Milan, Illinois) has been named the Midwest Conference Baseball Player of the Week.

Murphy started the first game of Friday's DH against Illinois College and went 2-for-3 with three RBI as the Scots won 8-3. He singled home two runs with the bases loaded in the third inning to put Monmouth on top 5-1. Murphy added a RBI single two innings later and was also hit by a pitch.

Heading into Monday's DH against Knox, Murphy is second on the team with 10 RBI despite playing in just four of the eight games. He is batting .462 (6-for-13) with a double, two homers, four walks and a hit by pitch. His slugging percentage is 1.000 and his OBP is .611.