We really want to go out and try to win a regional this year. I think that would be awesome and our morale is really good. We all have the same goal and we’re having fun.”

Brock Metzger

ROCHELLE — Senior shortstop Brock Metzger went 2-for-2 with one double, three runs and three RBIs on Saturday afternoon, when the Rochelle Hub varsity baseball team snapped a four-game losing streak and scored a much-needed victory against Rockford Guilford.

After being held to four runs across three games during their Interstate 8 Conference series against Sycamore, Rochelle saw its offense deliver a strong outing in Saturday’s nonconference matchup, as the Hubs tallied five runs in the third inning and capitalized on six Guilford errors to hand the Vikings a 14-4 defeat. Rochelle (4-7, 0-3 Interstate 8) will resume conference play on Monday afternoon, when the Hubs travel to begin a three-game series against Kaneland.

“We started hitting the ball well and the bottom of our order contributed a lot,” Metzger said. “We did a better job of adapting after facing faster pitchers against Sycamore. We saw the ball a lot better today… We really want to go out and try to win a regional this year. I think that would be awesome and our morale is really good. We all have the same goal and we’re having fun.”

The Vikings took the early lead on Saturday, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Maxwell Haddad slapped an RBI single, while two other Guilford players scored on errors. 

Metzger singled and scored on an error to earn one run back for the Hubs in the bottom of the first inning. Trailing 3-1, Rochelle took the lead in the bottom of the second inning, where junior Carson Lewis smacked a lead-off single and senior Braden Behrens reached on a hit-by-pitch. Both runners came home when sophomore Brode Metzger reached on an error in right field. 

Brock Metzger then scored on a wild pitch to give the Hubs a 4-3 advantage in the game. Guilford answered with one run in the top of the third inning, where Logan Prine walked and scored on an error to tie the game at 4-4. Rochelle closed the game with 10 unanswered runs over the final three frames including five runs in the bottom of the third inning, all of which came with two outs. Lewis was the catalyst once again, belting a two-out single that sparked the rally.

After back-to-back walks loaded the bases, junior Brandyn Metzger stepped up and laced an RBI double into left field that made the score 7-4 in favor of the Hubs. Another Guilford error in right field allowed both Brandyn and Brock Metzger to come home, putting Rochelle up 9-4.

Brock’s hot day at the plate continued in the bottom of the fourth inning, where the senior shortstop smashed a three-run double into center field that cleared the bases and gave the Hubs a 13-4 lead in the game. Metzger’s three-run double was preceded by an RBI double from junior Breydan Andrews, who was one of four Rochelle players to record hits in the victory.

The walk-off run came in the bottom of the sixth inning, where Brandyn Metzger turned a Guilford fielding error into an inside-the-park home run that concluded the afternoon. Lewis turned in a solid performance on the pitcher’s mound, throwing five and one-third innings while striking out eight batters and holding the Viking offense to four unearned runs to earn the win.