ROCHELLE — A pair of crooked numbers from the Belvidere North offense doomed the Rochelle Hub varsity baseball team during Thursday’s nonconference matchup against the Blue Thunder. Behind a nine-run effort in the first inning and a seven-run explosion in the third inning, Belvidere North cruised over the Hubs, handing Rochelle a 20-2 loss in its home opener. The Hubs (1-3, 0-0 Interstate 8) will host Belvidere in nonconference play on Friday evening.

The Blue Thunder tallied its first two runs on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and a balk in the top of the first inning. Belvidere North followed with a two-run double from Kaden McElroy and an RBI double from Caleb Gallagly, who gave the Blue Thunder a 6-0 lead with only one out in the frame. Jovanni Alvarez added an RBI single to keep the Belvidere North offense rolling.

Rochelle fell behind 16-0 after the Blue Thunder scratched seven runs in the top of the third inning, where Trent Dinsmore drew a bases-loaded walk and Lukas Koeller belted a two-run double into center field. Gallagly followed with an RBI single and Nolan Benney slapped a two-run single in the next at-bat to keep the bats alive for the Belvidere North offense. Alvarez recorded his second RBI single of the game later in the frame to put his team ahead 16-0.

The Hubs tallied two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring on a pair of bases-loaded walks to senior Brock Metzger and sophomore brother Brode Metzger. Junior Ethan Goodwin smacked a lead-off single to begin the frame, while junior Carson Lewis and senior Brandt Waters each drew walks over the next two at-bats to load the bases for the Rochelle offense. 

Belvidere North clinched the win with a four-run effort in the top of the fifth inning, where Jack Chamberlin drilled a two-run double and Adam Marshall added an RBI double of his own.