Zaayenga Tosses Complete Game as Scots Split with Kenyon

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (03/13/2024) — The Monmouth College baseball team split a double header with Kenyon College on Wednesday in Florida. The Scots (5-4) dropped the opener 15-0 before bouncing back to beat the Owls (10-3) 12-4 in game two.

"A good split overall after what we did in game one there," said head coach Alan Betourne. "They are a really good team and that is why we like to come down here and play teams like this and we know they are going to give us their best."

Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) singled with two down in the top of the first but was left on. Monmouth had just two base runners the rest of the way. Alexander Dye (Albuquerque, New Mexico) reached on an error in the second and Lummus walked in the fourth. The Owls pitcher, Theo Canning, threw a complete-game 1-hitter with 10 strikeouts.

"Hats off to that pitcher, he did an awesome job keeping us off balance," said Betourne.

The Scots started freshman Roy Ralston (Macon, Illinois) and he stranded two runners in scoring position over the first two innings. The Owls picked up five runs in the third with a pair of bases loaded singles and a two-run double.They added an unearned run in the fourth for a 6-0 lead and plated another in the fifth.

"I thought Roy was still really good today but they hit the ball well," said Betourne. "The other guys settled in but just one of those games."

Ralston (0-2) took the loss as he struck out five over 4 innings. Cade Sharp (Aledo, Illinois) struck out the only batter he faced, ending the fifth. Gianni Gallichio (Yorkville, Illinois) and Tyler Ithal (Mokena, Illinois) made their debuts in relief as the Owls finished off the 15-0 win with five runs in the sixth and three in seventh.

GAME TWO
Kenyon scored twice in the first inning against Monmouth starter Ethan Zaayenga (Tremont, Illinois). Aidan Parkins (Monmouth, Illinois) walked with one out in the second and he moved to third as Dye doubled to right. Jacob Blunck (Forsyth, Illinois) singled to left to bring home Parkins.

An inning later the Scots got even. Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois) singled up the middle and with one out, Lummus walked. Raul Guillermo (Miami, Florida) walked to load the bases and Matkovic scored on a fielders' choice off the bat of Parkins.

Kenyon went back on top with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. The Scots answered in the fourth against the Owls bullpen. Blunck walked with one out and Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Texas) singled to right. Matkovic tied the game with a single to right but a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.

Down 4-3, the Scots rallied in the sixth. Nate Reed (Chenoa, Illinois) led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Blunck. Scott tied the game with a single to right and Matkovic put the Scots up 5-4 with a double past a diving right fielder. Scott came around to score on a wild pitch but the Scots left the bases loaded with a 6-4 lead.

"Better at bats in game two." said Betourne. "We played team baseball today, a team loss in game one and a team win in game two which shows how good they can be."

Reed singled with one out in the seventh and the Scots loaded the bases with a hit by Blunck and a walk by Scott. Matkovic's fourth hit of the game put the Scots up 7-4 and Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois) doubled home two more. Lummus added to the tally with a two-run double to left-center for an 11-4 Scots lead and then he scored on a wild pitch.

"Zaayenga, wow, I don't think anything bothers him and that quick sixth inning helped us out with the momentum and fired up our hitters," said Betourne. "Being a freshman he wanted the ball and did an outstanding job,"

Zaayenga (2-0) picked up the win with a 7-inning complete game. He allowed four runs on six hits while striking out five. The right-hander didn't issue a walk and he hit one batter.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Lummus extended his hit streak to eight games with hits in both games. Six-game hit streaks for Houck and Guillermo were snapped in the opener as was Dye's five-game streak. Ralston and Zaayenga both made their first college starts after throwing out of the bullpen on Sunday against Franciscan. Zaayenga's complete games is the first for a Monmouth pitched since March 27, 2022 when AJ Hatlestad had one against Ripon. Matkovic had a career-high four hits in game two. He has two multi-RBI games so far in Florida. Blunck picked up his first collegiate RBI in game two, along with three hitsReed and Scott had two hits in game two while Lummus drew three walks. Monmouth had five doubles in game twoKenyon leads the all-time series 6-4 with matchups in Florida in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022. The Scots will face Lasell University at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.