Baseball splits final doubleheader against Kentucky Christian

(Campton, KY) - The Rochester Christian baseball team finished up a four-game series on Saturday against the Kentucky Christian Knights. The teams would split the Saturday doubleheader, with KCU earning a 9-3 win and RCU winning 8-4. RCU improves to 3-3 on the season. 

GAME 1 - KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN 9, ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 3

Matthew Shakotko (0-1) started the game on the mound for RCU, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing three runs with three strikeouts. 

A quick first two-and-a-half innings saw a total of four runners left on base before the Knights got on the board in the third with a 2-RBI double. KCU added to their total in the fourth with six runs, including two home runs and a double. 

The fifth inning had the Warriors get in the run column with a two-run home run from Dakota Shafer, with Issander Vega scoring. Both teams would add a run in the sixth to close out the scoring, as RCU grabbed a run off a KCU error. 

Lance Jones finished the game, pitching the final 2.1 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) with three strikeouts. 

GAME 2 - ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 8, KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN 4

Dakota Shafer began the final game of the series on the mound for the Warriors, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing one run on one hit with a pair of strikeouts. 

The Warriors got the scoring started in the second inning with a pair of two-run home runs by Dakota Shafer and Issander Vega, making it an early 4-0 lead. Niko Lahr (Shafer home run) and Nathaniel Crane (Vega home run) would come around to score in the inning. 

Kentucky Christian's first of four runs in the game would come off a home run in the fourth inning. RCU responded right back in the fifth inning as Aiden Alspaugh nabbed his third homer of the year, as well as Ayden Novak hitting into a RBI-groundout. The Warriors added another run in the sixth on a Cael Kuzinski single to make it 7-1.

RCU's lead would come in jeopardy in the bottom of the sixth, as the Knights were able to cut the lead in half with a home run and a 2-run double. RCU was able to get the final out of the inning, stranding two runners on base, as they caught a KCU runner attempting to steal third. 

The seventh inning would see Dakota Shafer once again hit a home run to extend the lead back out to four runs. A quick 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh would close out the game for the Warriors. 

Jeffery Preston (1-0) pitched a hitless 1.1 innings with two strikeouts, while Jayden Peterson closed out the last two innings, allowing two hits, three runs (one earned), and striking out three batters. 

TOP PERFORMERS

Issander Vega and Dakota Shafer both recorded three hits on the day, with all three of Shafer's being home runs. Shafer led the team with five RBI's as well. Nathaniel Crane and Cael Kuzinski each tallied two hits. 

Jeffrey Preston came into the second game of the day and pitched 1.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA and a strikeout. Matthew Shakotko, Jayden Peterson, and Lance Jones each grabbed three strikeouts. Dakota Shafer recorded a 2.45 ERA across 3.2 innings pitched. 

UP NEXT

The Warriors will be back in action next Saturday, February 28, as they kick off a four-game series against Ohio Christian in Circleville, Ohio, with the doubleheader beginning at 12 PM.