The Monmouth College baseball team played a back-and-forth game with #20 Augustana on Tuesday before falling 8-7. The Scots (16-21) will finish the 2023 season at home on Sunday.
The Vikings took a 4-0 lead early against Monmouth starter Cam Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois). The Scots got going in the third as Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois) drew a one-out walk. Singles by Tyler Houck (Park Ridge, Illinois) and Nate Melvin (Ottawa, Illinois) loaded the bases and Logan Komater (Ottawa, Illinois) delivered a RBI single. Raul Guillermo (Miami, Florida) singled home two and Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) tied the game with a single to center. Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Illinois) put the Scots on top 5-4 with a single to bring home Guillermo.
Augustana tied the game in the fourth against reliever Jakob Brokaw (Andalusia, Illinois). Monmouth regained the lead in the sixth. Melvin singled home Christian Centeno (Miami, Florida) for a 6-5 lead and with two down, Lummus drove in Matkovic to add an insurance run.
The Vikings got a walk and three straight hits in the bottom of the inning to go on top 8-7. The Scots left a runner on base in the seventh but went in order in the eighth and ninth as the Vikings secured the win.
Anderson allowed four runs on five hits over three innings in a no-decision. He struck out three and walked three. Brokaw (1-3) allowed four runs on five hits over three innings and took the loss with three strikeouts. Toby Turnquist (Monmouth, Illinois) threw two shutout and hitless innings while striking out three.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Jack Kuethe’s (Pekin, Illinois) seven-game hit streak came to an end. Lummus had four hits while Melvin, Komater, Guillermo and Matkovic all had two. The Scots outhit the nationally-ranked Vikings 15-10. Guillermo and Lummus both drove in two runs and Matkovic scored twice. All 25 hits in the game were singles. The Scots will finish the 2023 season with a 1 p.m. home double header on Sunday against Carthage.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
