Scots Rally Past Blackburn to Win Home Opener

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (03/21/2024) — The Monmouth College baseball team overcame an early six-run deficit to beat Blackburn College 12-7 on Wednesday in the home opener. The Scots (7-5) took the season series against the Beavers with the win and now get ready for Midwest Conference action this weekend.

"Anytime you spot a team six runs in the first two innings and come back to win 12-7 it is always a good day," said head coach Alan Betourne. "We have a couple days of practice now before conference to figure some things out."

The Scots fell behind 6-0 after two innings with three earned runs and three unearned runs against starting pitcher Brandon Coats (Mapleton, Illinois). Alex Dye (Albuquerque, New Mexico) reached on an error to start the second and he moved up on an infield single by Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Texas). After a wild pitch, Dye scored on an error to get the Scots on the board.

An inning later, Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) walked and Raul Guillermo (Miami, Florida) singled. Aidan Parkins (Monmouth, Illinois) singled home Lummus but the Scots left two on base. The Scots put two on base in the fourth and an error allowed Jonas Buckles (Albuquerque, New Mexico) to score. Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois) came home on a sacrifice fly by Lummus to pull the Scots within one at 6-5.

"We had some adjustments to make in-game and we did exactly that out on the field," said Betourne. "The first two innings defensively were not so good but the rest was good."

Tyler Sears (Bloomington, Illinois) kept the Beavers off the board for three innings. Dye launched a solo homer in the fifth, his second of the season, tying the game at 6-6.

"He (Dye) put a big barrel on the ball and he has the raw power." said Betourne. "It can be pretty scary 4-5-6 in the lineup with those guys."

Blackburn scored an unearned run in the sixth against reliever Roy Ralston (Macon, Illinois). The Scots pulled even again in the seventh. Guillermo doubled, Parkins reached on an error and AJ Freeman (Rock Island, Illinois) tied the game with a RBI groundout.

Buckles led off the eighth with a single and Matkovic walked. Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois) laid down a sacrifice bunt and Buckles scored on a throwing error to give the Scots their first lead. Lummus doubled home Matkovic and Houck for a 10-7 lead and Guillermo singled. Gabriel Zeigler-Harris ran for Guillermo and stole second with Lummus stealing home on the throw. Zeigler-Harris moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Parkins for a 12-7 Monmouth lead.

Toby Turnquist (Monmouth, Illinois) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Nick Villa (El Segundo, California) closed the door in the ninth in a non-save situation. Five Monmouth pitchers combined to allow just three earned runs, none after the second inning, as they struck out seven in the game.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Lummus extended his hit streak to 11 gamesBuckles had his multi-hit gameThe Scots stole five bases in the gameHouck leads the team with three sacrifice buntsGuillermo had three hitsDye leads the Scots with two homersLummus drove in three and leads the team with 14 RBI in 12 gamesVilla struck out three in the ninth and has 13 strikeouts in 5 innings this seasonMonmouth leads the all-time series against Blackburn 10-2 and they were 2-1 against the Beavers this seasonThe Scots begin Midwest Conference on Saturday with a Noon DH at home against Illinois College.