Jace Wilkerson was the hero for Monmouth on Saturday, as his walk-off home run in the nightcap, with two runs batted in, earned a split for the Scots against the visiting Cornell Rams.
The Rams took the first game 7-1 while the Scots emerged victorious in game two, 8-6. These results lift the Scots to 11-18 overall and 7-7 in MWC play, sitting in fourth place between Beloit and Lawrence.
The Fighting Scots baseball team confers between games. Photo by Billy Lopatto
Cornell dominated game one, finding their way onto the scoreboard first in the third inning when a throwing error by the Monmouth defense allowed two Rams to score. In the fifth inning, Cornell smacked a solo home run out to right field, growing the Rams’ lead to 3-0 after five innings. The Cornell defense held firm from there and earned a 7-1 victory in the opener. Cornell’s winning pitcher was Nate Pacetti, who tossed a complete game and fanned 10 Scots. Roy Ralston took the loss for Monmouth despite also fanning 10 Rams.
Game two saw a much better start for the Scots when Aidan Parkins responded to an early Cornell score by launching a 2-RBI double to right-center field that also let shortstop Hunter Wheat run home on an errant throw. Both teams traded scores in the next three innings to make the score 6-3 after seven frames. After a three-run surge by Cornell tied the game at six, two hits were all the Scots needed to take the game: a single by Eric Campen and a game-ending, two-run missile hit to right field by Jace Wilkerson.
The Scots will host the first-place Grinnell Pioneers for a three-game series next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25th and 26th. Saturday’s first pitches are at noon and 2:30 p.m., and Sunday’s single game kicks off at noon.