May 3, 2009
Maroons Rally For Game 1 Win, Fall in Extra Innings in Game 2

CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago baseball team overcame a three-run deficit en route to an 8-6 game one victory before falling 13-5 in extra innings in the second game as the Maroons split a twinbill with Rockford College Sunday at J. Kyle Anderson Field.

Senior catcher Tom Gonzalez (Newton, Mass./ North) scored the go-ahead run and senior first baseman Scott Hofer (San Marino, Calif./ Flintridge Prep) drove in a key insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Chicago won Sunday's opener.

Chicago led 2-0 after three frames, but Eric Nicholson and Cris Cartmill delivered two-run hits as the Regents plated five runs in the top of the fourth.

In the Maroons' half of the fifth, Chicago evened the score on a two-run single off the bat of junior shortstop Rob Serpico (Schaumburg, Ill./ Hampshire) and went ahead 6-5 when freshman third baseman Stephen Williams (Malibu, Calif./ Malibu) advanced home as Serpico was put out in a rundown.

Rockford tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the sixth, but Chicago scored twice in its half of the sixth to notch its seventh come-from-behind win in its last 11 contests. Gonzalez walked with one out and came around to score on a wild pitch. Hofer then singled home senior center fielder Kyle Schmitt (Hoffman Estates, Ill./ Fremd), who followed Gonzalez's walk with a base hit.

Sophomore pitcher Dan McConologue (Lockport, Ill./ Lockport) logged his sixth complete game in seven starts and raised his record to 6-3. He allowed eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Only three of the Regents' six runs were earned.

Rockford reliever Jeff Jacobson (2-3), who came on to start the sixth inning, took the loss.

In Sunday's second game, Chicago (17-11) scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, but Rockford (24-12) exploded for eight runs in the top of the eighth to halt the Maroons' six-game winning streak.

Rockford scored four unearned runs in six innings off sophomore pitcher Marshall Oium (Temecula, Calif./ Great Oak) and led 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Chicago then scored four runs -- three of them after two outs -- to send the game into extra innings for the fourth time this year. Freshman designated hitter Trace Capps (Lynwood, Ill./ Bloom) brought home two runs with a base hit before Serpico tied the game with a run-scoring single.

The Regents pounded out seven hits and scored eight times in the top of the eighth. Shaun Dascher and Tyler Clay each drove in a pair of runs as Rockford salvaged the doubleheader split.

Rockford's third pitcher, Travis Mohr (6-2) picked up the win, while Chicago senior Payton Leonhardt (Wheaton, Ill./ Wheaton-Warrenville South) was tagged with the loss. Leonhardt pitched a perfect seventh, but allowed four runs in the eighth.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2