LEAD

LOVES PARK, Ill. -- The Sabercats dropped both games against a strong Rockford team yesterday, losing 20-1 and 21-0.

Luke Hochema drove in the Sabercats' lone run on the day, but the Regents hit the ball well, finding every spot there was no defender all day long.

OVERVIEW

• Game One: Maranatha 1-20 Rockford
• Game Two: Maranatha 0-21 Rockford
• Venue: Rivets Stadium
• Location: Loves Park, Ill.
• Attendance: -
• Records: MBU (0-9), RU (9-9) 

STORY 

Right away, Rockford loaded the bases and began to drive in runs, scoring nine runs before they finally grounded into a double play to record an out. In total, the Regents scored 11 runs in the first on just nine hits. They added six more in the second, continuing to put the ball in play and finding every spot on the field where the fielder was not.

Maranatha was able to stop the bleeding for a few innings as Nate Croswell found ways to keep them from scoring, giving up just three runs and striking out five in four innings of work.

The Sabercats' lone run of the day came in the top of the seventh. Wyatt Arterberry drew a walk on a full-count pitch in his only at-bat of game one. He was able to advance to second on a ground ball to first base off the bat of Josh Meals, meaning his first career at-bat was a productive out. Then, with two outs, Luke Hochema smashed a line drive over the middle into center, scoring Arterberry for the RBI.

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The second game started off much more promising as David Cripps retired the first three batters he faced, including getting Rockford's three-hole hitter, Jared Herzog, to strike out looking. But the Regents figured him out in the second, scoring eight runs in the frame, followed by two runs in the third and fourth and another four in the fifth. Cripps was able to eat up five innings of pitching, but Rockford continued to hit the ball well.

Maranatha's offense struggled all day long, not able to figure out the pitching Rockford threw at them. When Croswell came back in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth, the Sabercats had mustered just two hits in game two and found themselves down 16-0. Croswell then could not continue whatever magic he had in game one and gave up five runs, despite reaching several 0-2 counts.

Rockford played well, and sometimes you just can't do much about that.

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Maranatha Lineup (Game One) - 7- D. Cripps (2B), 19- T. Smith (SS), 8- Cummins (1B), 6- Ratledge (3B), 9- M. Bailey (CF), 4- J. Bailey (P), 15- J. Piranian (LF), 3- Croswell (C), 10- M. Cripps (RF)

Maranatha Lineup (Game Two) - 7- D. Cripps (P), 19- T. Smith (SS), 8- Cummins (1B), 6- Ratledge (3B), 4- J. Bailey (C), 9- M. Bailey (CF), 15- J. Piranian (LF), 3- Croswell (2B), 10- M. Cripps (RF)

STATS

• Box Score Game One (Link)
• Box Score Game Two (Link)

OPPONENTS

• Rockford competes in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NCAA DIII)
• Rockford began their season with a six-game road trip in Florida, finishing the trip with a 3-3 record
• Rockford is hitting .305 as a team, and have driven in 134 runs in their 18 games played

NEXT

The Sabercats head to Sheboygan on Thursday to face Lakeland at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Follow at mbusabercats.com.