CHICAGO – In its first conference games of the season, the University of Chicago baseball team scored a dramatic walk-off victory in game one and utilized shutdown pitching in the nightcap to sweep Sunday's doubleheader versus Monmouth College.

The Maroons improved to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the Midwest Conference (MWC). The Fighting Scots fell to 6-12 overall (0-5 MWC).

Game One – UChicago 4, Monmouth 3

After enduring a series of rainouts and frigid temperatures, UChicago was back in action on Sunday for the first time in 13 days.

The opening seven innings were rough going for the Maroon bats. The hosts only tallied one hit during that time while drawing four walks.

On the other side, Monmouth jumped ahead early thanks to a two-run error in the top of the second inning. The Fighting Scots then added one more on a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

The tide finally began to turn in the bottom of the eight. Monmouth's starting pitcher was still in the game, but the Maroons caught a break when the leadoff man reached on a throwing error that moved him to second base on the play. A walk and a wild pitch put runners on the corners for first-year Josh Peyton, who brought the runner in from third base on an RBI groundout. It was then senior Brett Riegler's turn to shine – the Maroon catcher took the ball the opposite way through the left side to draw UChicago to within 3-2.

With momentum firmly on their side, the Maroons started the ninth by reaching base via error yet again. Sophomore Noah Nelson's single was immediately followed up by an RBI single from sophomore Dominic Angellotti, who yanked the ball through the left side to tie the game up.

A grounder moved the runners up to second and third with one out. It was then all up to Truman Pierson and the sophomore outfielder delivered. Pierson blasted a high fly ball over the drawn-in left fielder's head to clinch a dramatic walk-off 4-3 victory. He was promptly mobbed on the base paths by his jubilant teammates.

The Maroons concluded with five hits while making four errors defensively. The team was also successful on all three stolen base attempts.  

Drew Bryan got the start on the pitcher's mound. The sophomore threw six innings, striking out five with five hits, one earned run and three walks allowed. Junior Hayden Brotz (1-0 record) submitted three innings of spotless relief to get the win. Brotz's movement on his fastball confounded the Scots as he struck out three batters with one hit allowed.

Game Two – UChicago 4, Monmouth 0

The UChicago pitching staff carried game one's stellar finish into game two. Starting pitcher Tyler Sarkisian was dealing from the onset and maintained top form despite dropping temperatures as the game progressed. His fastball/breaking ball combo missed bats all afternoon as he kept Monmouth guessing at the plate. The junior fanned at least one batter each inning and finished with a career-high 11 strikeouts over his 6.2 innings of work.

On the occasions when Monmouth did get runners on base, Sarkisian dug deep to emerge without any damage. The Fighting Scots went 0-for-8 once a runner reached second base against him. The righthander's mettle was on display in the sixth inning after a throwing error on a swinging strikeout put runners on the corners with no outs. Unfazed, he promptly struck out the next two batters swinging before inducing a harmless flyout to the shortstop to escape the jam.

Hayden Leiderman entered the game in relief in the top of the seventh and earned the save in 2.1 innings of work. The first-year righty whiffed two batters and made a pair of impressive defensive plays in the infield. He retired the final seven in-a-row to secure UChicago's second shutout of the season.

The offensive effort was led by Riegler, who went 3-for-4 at the plate. Pierson led off the game by drawing a walk and stealing second base. He then scored on Riegler's single to center. History repeated itself in the third inning with a Pierson walk and steal, followed by another RBI single to centerfield by Riegler.

Nelson made the score 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single of his own. Sophomore Max Chou provided some insurance with a sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the seventh.

UChicago finished with nine hits and one error. Peyton went 2-for-4 at the plate. The Maroons were aggressive on the base paths once again – the hosts went 5-for-5 with two steals each by Pierson and first-year Jackson Slipock.

NEXT GAMES:

• Wednesday, April 6 @ 1:00 PM – UChicago at Beloit College (DH)