The Monmouth College baseball squad’s record does not make their season look too promising, as they have won just twice in their first 15 games. Even with the slow start, the Scots’ goals for the season remain lofty.

The Scots are hoping to continue their Midwest Conference dominance and defend their divisional title for the eighth consecutive year.

“Our main goal for the rest of the season is definitely to win the South Division and host our Conference Tournament,” junior Nick Basala said. “We have been using a motto — just find a way to win — a lot this season. That is the same attitude we are using for conference. We just want to find a way to win conference and give us a shot at winning the whole MWC.”

Despite MC’s seven straight South Division titles, many people picked Illinois College to trump the Scots and claim first this season.

Monmouth’s quest to prove their doubters wrong began on March 28, when they hosted Grinnell College in their first conference match-up of the season. The Scots ended up splitting the double-header with Grinnell winning the first game 9-6, before dropping the second game 7-3.

Four players had multi-hit games in their win, as freshman Billy Herrin, junior Kevin Sashko and senior Ryan Priola all got two base hits, while senior Jake Bice recorded three.

Priola and Bice both came through with men in scoring position, as they each recorded three RBIs.

Monmouth was tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the fourth, but a big inning featuring four hits and five runs helped the Scots pull ahead for good.

The Scots were paced by junior Brain Chandler, who stared the game and lasted 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win, improving his record to 2-0. Junior Drew Johnson picked up his first save on the season, pitching 1 1/3 perfect innings and striking out three.

Monmouth’s bats could not duplicate their big performance in the second game against Grinnell, but Priola did all he could in picking up two more base hits.

The Scots then traveled to Charleston to compete against a Division I opponent, Eastern Illinois University on April 1. Monmouth almost pulled off an unlikely April Fools joke on EIU, as they led 3-2 until the seventh inning, when Eastern scored two runs to put them up for good. The final score was 4-3. Bice and Herrin each recorded two base hits.

Priola, the team’s designate hitter, has been on fire so far this season, as he has a .375 batting average with nine RBIs. Bice, who plays first base, is leading the team in runs batted in, as he has recorded 14 to go along with his impressive .347 batting average.

The Scots will continue conference play when they host Illinois College on April 5.

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