ROCHELLE — Back-to-back two-run frames weren’t enough for the Rochelle Hub varsity baseball team to avoid another Interstate 8 Conference loss against Kaneland on Wednesday.

Faced with a nine-run hole after five-and-a-half innings, Rochelle scored four runs over the final two frames, but the Hubs were unable to escape from the early deficit, conceding a 9-4 loss to the Knights and remaining winless in conference play. Rochelle (4-9, 0-5 Interstate 8) will attempt to salvage the series with a victory when the Hubs face Kaneland on the road Thursday.

Zach Konrad delivered an RBI single for the Knights in the top of the first inning, driving home lead-off batter Zach Ramos to give Kaneland a 1-0 lead. Junior Ethan Goodwin belted a one-out double for the Hubs in the bottom of the first inning, but two straight strikeouts ended the frame.

An RBI groundout from Matthew Brunscheen enabled Kaneland to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Rochelle fell into trouble during the top of the fifth inning, where the Knights tallied four runs on three hits including an RBI single from Brunscheen and an RBI double from Dylan Borysiewicz. Brunscheen added a two-run single in the top of the sixth inning.

Trailing 9-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Rochelle recorded two runs after two straight RBI doubles from senior Brock Metzger and freshman Brody Bruns. The inning was started with a lead-off single from senior Braden Hunley, who scored the first run of the game for Rochelle.

Junior Breydan Andrews sent an RBI single into right-center field in the bottom of the seventh inning, where the Hubs added two more runs to their total. Goodwin reached on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded during the next at-bat, allowing senior Braden Behrens, who singled earlier in the frame, to cross home plate. A lineout and a strikeout ended the Rochelle threat.