Beavers Open Season with a Sweep

CARLINVILLE, IL — The Blackburn baseball team delivered a complete performance in both games, riding dominant early pitching and breakout middle-inning surges to secure a sweep with 5-3 and 5-1 victories over Monmouth College.

The baseball team had not opened its season with a win since 2015. This season, under the direction of Head Coach Dalton Fisher, they secured a two-game sweep over Monmouth College in their home and season opener.

Game 1

From the opening pitch, Blackburn set the tone on the mound. Monmouth was retired in order in the first inning and managed little offensive rhythm through the first five frames. The Beavers' pitching staff pounded the zone and leaned on sharp infield defense, forcing a steady stream of groundouts and weak contact. Through five innings, Monmouth was held without a hit, and even when Blackburn committed a sixth-inning error, the defense quickly erased it with a heads-up pickoff at second to maintain control.

Blackburn broke through offensively in the second inning. Senior Gavin Griffith singled to start the rally and moved into scoring position before freshman Joey Congi brought him home on an RBI fielder's choice. Though the run was unearned, it gave the Beavers a 1-0 lead and early momentum.

The game shifted decisively in the fourth inning when Blackburn's offense came alive. Freshman Jeremy Mazariego, senior Brett Lander, and junior Harley Carney delivered three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. Congi then worked a disciplined RBI walk, followed by another RBI walk from senior Joshua Moreno to force in a second run. Sophomore Andrew Medina capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home another run and stretching the lead to 4-0. The inning showcased Blackburn's patience at the plate and ability to capitalize in key situations.

The Beavers added an important insurance run in the fifth. After reaching on an error, Mazariego advanced into scoring position and came home on Carney's RBI single to center. The run extended Blackburn's advantage to 5-0 and proved vital as the game tightened late.

Monmouth finally broke through in the eighth inning, using a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 5-1. In the ninth, the visitors mounted their strongest threat of the afternoon. A leadoff walk and wild pitches put pressure on the Blackburn defense, and a two-run single cut the lead to 5-3. With the tying run on base, the Beavers regrouped, recording a strikeout and a flyout to center to close the door and seal the victory.

Blackburn's win was fueled by timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and a pitching staff that controlled the game for the majority of the afternoon. By building an early cushion and executing in key moments, the Beavers did just enough to withstand the late rally and secure a hard-earned 5-3 triumph.

Game 2

After working around a leadoff walk in the top of the first, Blackburn's defense tightened up early, stranding a runner at third to keep the game scoreless. That momentum immediately carried into the bottom half, where the Beavers' offense came alive.

Senior Royce Congi ignited the rally with a single, and Blackburn quickly capitalized on a Monmouth error to put two runners aboard. Sophomore Jordan Kelly delivered the first blow with an RBI single to left, plating Congi for the game's opening run. After a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, junior Luke Ellinger came through in a big moment, lining a two-run single to left to extend the lead to 3-0. Blackburn collected three hits in the inning and took full advantage of a defensive miscue to build early separation.

From there, the Beavers' pitching staff controlled the pace. Blackburn arms combined for a dominant stretch through the middle innings, striking out multiple hitters and consistently forcing weak contact. Monmouth managed just two hits through the first four innings and struggled to string together quality at-bats.

The Fighting Scots broke through in the fifth, using a pair of singles to score a run and trim the deficit to 3-1. However, Blackburn quickly responded in the sixth with another timely offensive burst.

After Ellinger reached on an error and advanced into scoring position, Congi ripped a double to left field to bring him home. Moments later, Lander followed with an RBI single to right, scoring Congi and pushing the lead to 5-1. The two-out rally showcased Blackburn's ability to capitalize on opportunities and deliver in key situations.

Blackburn's bullpen and defense did the rest. The Beavers turned in clean, efficient innings late, highlighted by strikeouts in the sixth and seventh and steady infield play to neutralize Monmouth threats in the eighth and ninth. Even after a ninth-inning single and stolen base put a runner in scoring position, Blackburn shut the door with a strikeout to seal the win.

Powered by a three-run first inning, a strong collective pitching performance, and clutch hitting from Congi, Kelly, Lander, and Ellinger, Blackburn secured a complete 5-1 victory and controlled the game from start to finish.

The Beavers are back next Saturday for a doubleheader versus St. Norbert, starting at 10:00 a.m., with the second game to follow at approximately 1:00 p.m. They will face St. Norbert once more on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.