The Monmouth College baseball team dropped a non-conference road game 20-10 in eight innings at Augustana on Thursday, The Fighting Scots (4-12) return to Midwest Conference play this weekend with a three-game home series against Lawrence.
Augustana scored two runs in the first inning off Heath Hornke (Normal, Illinois) despite not getting a hit. Three walks, a hit batter, a wild pitch, a passed ball and an error helped the Vikings lead 2-0 but they left the bases loaded.
With one out in the second inning, Reid Stufflebeem (Galesburg, Illinois), Aiden Scott (Carrollton, Texas) and Zach Almaguer (Monmouth, Illinois) all drew walks. After a pitching change, Daniel Lummus (New Port Richey, Florida) tied the game with a 2-run single and Eric Campen (Washington, Illinois) put the Scots up 4-2 with a triple. Clayton Matkovic (Sherrard, Illinois) singled for a third straight hit and the Scots pushed the lead to 5-2.
The Vikings regained the lead against Weslee Frame (Fairview, Illinois) in the second inning. A single, hit batter and single loaded the bases and a grand slam put the Vikings up 6-5. Two hits, a hit batter and a walk forced in another run before the Vikings left the bases loaded again.
A solo home run off reliever Tyler Ithal (Mokena, Illinois) in the third gave the Vikings an 8-5 lead. Monmouth was retired in order for two straight innings and Tyler Sears (Bloomington, Illinois) took over on the mound in the fourth. A walk, hit batter, two wild pitches and a sacrifice fly scored two for a 10-5 game.
Augustana added a run off Caleb Ochs (Royal, Illinois) in the fifth and led 11-5. The Scots got the bats going in the top of the sixth. Nate Reed (Chenoa, Illinois) led off with a walk and Stufflebeem drew a walk. Scott walked to load the bases and pinch-hitter Hunter Wheat (Athens, Illinois) walked to force in a run. Lummus brought home a run when he was hit by a pitch and Matkovic drove in two with a single though he was thrown out on the play to end the inning with the Scots down 11-9.
Gianni Gallichio (Yorkville, Illinois) threw a clean sixth inning Augustana scored seven runs in the seventh off Luke Kelty (Spring Valley, Illinois), Ryan Garofoli (Chicago, Illinois) and Brady Gillen (Staunton, Illinois). Scots pitchers walked six and hit two in the inning.
Down 18-9, Lummus singled with one out in the eighth. Campen pulled a run back with a double and Raul Guillermo (Miami, Florida) was intentionally walked before the Vikings got out of the inning. They walked off the Scots on a run-rule win with two walks and two singles in the eighth.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Frame (0-2) took the loss ,,, Monmouth set a school record issuing 15 walks, one more than they had against Cornell in 2021 … Monmouth pitchers also hit seven batters … Gallichio was the only pitcher not to allow a run … Monmouth used 21 players in the game including nine pitchers … Kelty made his 2025 debut and Gillen made his college debut … Lummus, Campen and Matkovic all had two hits and each drove in three runs … Campen had a double and a triple … Lummus scored three runs while Stufflebeem scored twice … Guillermo, Stufflebeem and Scott rew two walks each … Augustanta has won 14 straight in the series dating back to two Monmouth wins in 2005 … The Vikings lead the all-time series 59-43 … The Scots host Lawrence in the home opener Saturday with a noon DH and the teams play a single game at noon on Sunday.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
