May 15 at MWC Championship Tournament, Monmouth, IL
Monmouth 6, St. Norbert 3
Ripon 7, Monmouth 3 (22-12)
Perennial baseball powers Ripon and Monmouth have dominated their respective Midwest Conference divisions for the past several years. However, the schools hadn’t met since 1994 to determine the championship of an MWC tournament. That 10-year dry spell ended Saturday at Glasgow Field, and it was the North Division champion Red Hawks who captured the conference title and an automatic NCAA tournament berth. The Red Hawks reached the title game in dramatic fashion, as Tim Roehrig’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 13^th inning defeated Illinois College 4-3. In the second semi-final, it was the Fighting Scots’ turn to rally from a 3-0 hole against St. Norbert. Jason Salmon and Alan Betourne had RBI groundouts in the third to cut the gap to 3-2, and a fourth-inning error by the Green Knights allowed Monmouth to tie the score. The Scots surged ahead on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Betourne in the sixth, and Matt Gordon drove home the final run in the eighth. Steve Myros went the distance on the mound for the Scots, allowing one earned run, seven hits and three walks while fanning three. He finished the year with a fine 6-2 record and a 2.74 ERA. Adam Carlson and undefeated Ripon hurler Dan Williams hooked up in the final of the single-elimination tourney, and a shaky first inning by Williams gave the Scots an early 1-0 lead. Williams, who entered the game with a 6-0 record and a sparkling 1.98 ERA, had two wild pitches and a balk in the first frame, but he settled down after that and was very effective. Ripon finally got to Carlson in the fifth, tying the game on John Ernser’s solo blast, and the Red Hawks put the contest away in the next frame, plating six runs, the final three scoring on a home run by Chevy Schultz. Tom Crisp, who got the win in Ripon’s marathon semi-final win by pitching the final two innings, earned the save in the title game, coming on with the bases loaded in the eighth and Ripon ahead 7-3. Steve Turner’s lineout to second was turned into an unassisted double play, and Crisp then set down the side in order in the ninth.

May 10 vs. Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL
Monmouth 7, IWU 6 (21-11)
Mumma's the word. Closer Steve Mumma notched his fourth save Monday as the Fighting Scots won a tune-up game for this weekend's MWC Championship Tournament. Just a freshman, Mumma has tied the career mark for saves at Monmouth. He came on in the bottom of the ninth, which started with the Scots ahead 7-2 and Mason Abner on the mound. A two-run homer followed by a hit batsman chased Abner, and Matt Englehardt entered the game. He retired a batter but also yielded two walks and a two-run single, so coach Roger Sander summoned Mumma from the pen with runners on first and second, one out and the Scots clinging to a 7-6 lead. Mumma induced two groundouts to end the game and lift Monmouth to its 21st victory of the season. Matt Gordon homered and went 3-for-4 with three RBI, and Luke Atkins earned the win.

May 8 vs. Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL
Monmouth 4, Illinois C. 1
Monmouth 12, Illinois C. 11 (20-11, 8-4)
The Fighting Scots avoided back-to-back Jacksonvilles, hanging on to win a wild nightcap after Steve Myros threw a gem in the opener. By recording the sweep, the Scots captured the MWC South Division title outright and avoided returning to Illinois College's field Monday for a single-game playoff, which would have occurred if the teams had split. Monmouth jumped out to a 9-1 lead thanks mainly to the bats of two former MHS Zippers. Tristan Reimolds, who was 4-for-4, launched a three-run third-inning homer and Josh Hall followed with a grand slam in the fifth. A five-run IC rally cut the deficit to 11-8 after seven. With a two-run lead in the ninth, MC's Steve Turner tripled and scored on a single by Chad Goad, who was 3-for-5. That tally would be important, as four of the five Blueboys who batted in the bottom of the ninth singled. But center fielder Jason Salmon came up huge with two consecutive outfield assists, gunning down runners on the basepaths after the final two hits. The second throw ended the game and produced a school-record third save this season - albeit a shaky one - for reliever Steve Mumma. The MC staff's other "Steve M." - Myros - scattered seven hits and a walk in his complete-game victory in the opener, and he received support from Matt Gordon and Turner, who were both 3-for-3. Josh Ragar's two-run double in the top of the second staked Myros to a 3-0 lead. The MWC Championships will open Friday at Glasgow Field, with Illinois College meeting the North Division champion and Monmouth playing the North runner-up. 

May 1 vs. Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
Grinnell 6, Monmouth 2
Monmouth 5, Grinnell 4  (18-11, 6-4)
The Fighting Scots kept their hopes alive of winning the MWC South Division and hosting the conference tournament by salvaging the nightcap against the Pioneers. Wet conditions moved today's scheduled doubleheader between Illinois College and Knox back to Sunday, but even if IC sweeps the Fire, Monmouth can still take the crown by winning two games in Jacksonville on May 8. Adam Carlson had a strong start for the Scots in the second game, and he carried a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth. The Pioneers scored twice, but reliever Matt Englehardt got the final out of the frame and then pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the year. Carlson finished with nine strikeouts and a walk in 7.2 innings of work and improved to 5-3. Tristan Reimolds hit a clutch eighth inning homer and pinch runner Trenton Jordan added another insurance run by swiping two bases and scoring on Rickey Barnett's sacrifice fly. In the opener, Steve Myros was also cruising, leading 2-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, but Grinnell scored five times in the inning, two touching the plate on a bases-loaded double by Kevin Byrne.

April 27 vs. Western Illinois University, Macomb, Ill.
WIU 16, Monmouth 2  (17-10)
Things were just rolling along for the Fighting Scots in their matchup with their Leathernecks until the sixth inning. Monmouth had taken a 1-0 lead on Alan Betourne's RBI double, and the score was still a respectable 4-1 before the hosts posted a 12-run sixth. The inning was extended by three Monmouth errors, which caused 11 of the runs to be unearned. Coach Roger Sander used the non-conference game to work in a total of 20 players, including six pitchers.

April 25 vs. Knox College, Monmouth, Ill.
Knox 15, Monmouth 2  (17-9, 5-3)
It took 24 hours, but Knox completed a sweep of the Fighting Scots by rallying from a 2-0 deficit. Three of Monmouth's first five batters singled off Prairie Fire starter Patrick Sloan, including Alan Betourne, whose hit plated two runs. But after that, Monmouth managed just three hits and no runs off the crafty southpaw, who left in the ninth with a runner on first and nobody out. After surrendering a one-out single, Knox's Jason Rogers recorded his second save of the two-day twinbill. In the top of the second, the Fire answered Monmouth's two-run first with a pair of runs, and Matt Jasper doubled and scored on Clint Hall's single in the third to give Knox a lead it would not relinquish. Monmouth ace Adam Carlson surrendered 12 hits in seven innings of work, allowing four earned runs. The Scots are now tied with Illinois College atop the MWC South, and Knox has pulled back into contention at 4-6, tied with Grinnell.

April 24 vs. Knox College, Monmouth, Ill.
Knox 10, Monmouth 9  (17-8, 5-2)
The scenario remained the same, only the outcome was different seven days later. Like last weekend's matchup, the Fighting Scots trailed and then rallied, but this time the rally fell short against the Prairie Fire. Trailing 10-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Scots converted six hits and five walks into six runs before Knox reliever Jason Rogers fanned Matt Gordon to end the game with the winning run on second. Alan Betourne pounded out three hits for the Scots and Tristan Reimolds and Josh Hall drove in two runs apiece. Due to a steady rain throughout the opener, the second game of the twinbill was pushed back to Sunday at noon at Glasgow Field.

April 17 vs. Knox College, Galesburg, Ill.
Monmouth 10, Knox 7
Monmouth 7, Knox 2 (17-7, 5-1)
Tristan Reimolds drilled a three-run homer and provided two key insurance runs with a last-inning double en route to a six-RBI performance in the opener. Reimolds helped the Scots recover from an early 3-0 deficit with his Blodgett Field blast, but the Scots would fall behind again, trailing 7-5 entering the final frame. Alan Betourne singled in the tying run and then came home with the go-ahead tally, before Reimolds gave the Scots some breathing room with a two-run double. Both Betourne and Reimolds finished with three hits and Thad King belted a homer. Reliever John Scudella hung on to improve to 4-0. In the nightcap, Adam Carlson pitched well, but his victory wasn't ensured until a five-run Scots' eighth snapped a 2-2 tie. Rickey Barnett had the key hit in the frame, a go-ahead two-run single. Matt Gordon and Steve Turner had three-hit performances for the Scots.

April 9 vs. Illinois College, Monmouth, Ill.
Monmouth 1, Illinois College 0
Illinois College 6, Monmouth 2 (15-7, 3-1)
Pitcher Steve Myros definitely had a "good Friday," blanking the Blueboys in the opener on just three hits, but IC halted a 12-game losing streak against the Scots in the nightcap, snapping a 2-2 tie in the ninth with four runs. The opener was a true pitchers' duel, and both Myros and Blueboy ace Jake Reed got stronger as the game wore on. Myros retired the last 10 batters, and 16 of the last 17 he faced, while Reed held the Scots hitless after surrendering a leadoff single in the second. Monmouth got the lone run of the game in the bottom of the first, thanks in part to a high pop fly single by Thad King that dropped between two IC fielders. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Josh Hall grounded into a double play, but Jason Salmon, who had doubled to start the frame, came across to score. Monmouth did not commit an error on the day, and King came up with several nice plays at short to support Myros, who is now 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA. Salmon also made a nice running grab in deep center to take away extra bases. In the nightcap, Monmouth fell behind 2-0, but solo home runs by Matt Gordon and Tristan Reimolds tied the score. IC's Josh Huff homered to lead off the ninth against MC starter Adam Carlson, and the Blueboys added three more insurance runs, including a two-run single by Dustin Devening. 

April 4 vs. MacMurray College, Monmouth, Ill.
Monmouth 8, MacMurray 7, 8 inn.
Monmouth 9, MacMurray 0 (14-6)
The Fighting Scots' two victories were a definite contrast in styles. The opening game was a case of "winning ugly." Monmouth's Luke Atkins appeared to be in complete control, taking a one-hit, 2-0 shutout into the top of the fourth. However, a dropped foul ball, a single that was lost in the sun and a bunt single on a play that saw no one cover first enabled MacMurray to get three extra outs and eventually chase Atkins from the game with six hits and six runs in the frame. Monmouth got two runs back in the sixth on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk, and the tying runs scored in the seventh on a error that would have ended the game. After the Highlanders took a 7-6 in the top of the eighth, Monmouth's Tristan Reimolds delivered a game-winning two-run single in the bottom of the frame. John Scudella pitched 4-2/3 innings of one-run relief to pick up the win and improve to 3-0. Jason Salmon had three hits of MC's 10 hits. In the nightcap, three Scots' pitchers combined for the shutout, including Mason Abner, who improved to 2-0 by tossing the first five innings. Matt Gordon and Alan Betourne were each 2-for-2 with two RBI, and Josh Ragar completed a perfect 4-for-4 with two singles before he was subbed out in the top of the fourth.

April 3 vs. Grinnell College, Monmouth, Ill.
Monmouth 5, Grinnell 1
Monmouth 7, Grinnell 0 (12-6, 2-0)
After Steve Myros pitched a superb three-hit complete game in the opener, teammate Adam Carlson did even better in the nightcap, allowing just one hit in a brilliant nine-inning performance as the Fighting Scots started their conference season in fine fashion. On the day, the two MC hurlers allowed three infield hits and one bloop single in 16 innings of work. The lone single Carlson surrendered came in the sixth, when Mark Henry just beat out a slow roller to short. Despite the dominant pitching, a Monmouth victory in the opener was no sure thing. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the score was tied 1-1, and the Scots had a runner on second. Grinnell opted to intentionally walk Jason Salmon, but Thad King came through with a clutch go-ahead single. Matt Gordon followed with an RBI hit and, after a walk to Alan Betourne, Rickey Barnett singled home two more. In the nightcap, Steve Turner was 3-for-3 and Salmon, Gordon, Josh Hall and Barnett added two hits apiece in Monmouth's 14-hit attack. Myros and Carlson both improved to 3-1 on the year.

March 31 vs. Illinois Wesleyan University, Monmouth, Ill.
Monmouth 9, IWU 6 (10-6)
Both teams opted to go the "pitcher-by-committee" approach for this mid-week game, and it was the Scots' staff which proved to be deeper. The Titans took a 2-0 third-inning lead off MC starter Mason Abner, but the Scots got the runs back right away in their half of the frame. Monmouth then took the lead for good on Chad Goad's RBI single in the fourth. Four players - Jerad Beckler, Tanner Scott, Alan Betourne and Rickey Barnett - added RBI singles in the ensuing innings to stretch the lead to 9-2. Brian McCabe's two-run homer in the ninth was too little, too late for IWU. John Scudella picked up the win for Monmouth, which used six pitchers, and Beckler and Josh Ragar each had two hits. IWU threw seven pitchers.

March 21 vs. Coe College, Monmouth, Ill.
Monmouth 5, Coe 2
Monmouth 8, Coe 2 (9-6)
Less than 24 hours before meeting the Scots, Coe squandered a 10-run lead against winless Eureka and lost 17-16. The Kohawks did not appear to have recovered from that unexpected defeat, committing 10 errors which led to six unearned runs in Monmouth's Sunday sweep. Of course, the Scots' pitching had a little to do with the victories. In the opener, Luke Atkins gave up a two-run single in the first inning but then blanked the Kohawks until the seventh, when he turned the ball over to Steve Mumma with two on and no one out. Mumma retired the next three batters to earn his second save in as many days. Matt Gordon was 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the contest. In the nightcap, Coe managed more hit batsmen than hits against MC's Adam Carlson, as four Kohawks were hit, but only three had singles. Meanwhile, Alan Betourne matched Coe's output with a 3-for-3 performance, and he drove in two. Rickey Barnett also had two RBI.

March 20 at Augustana College, Moline, Ill.
Monmouth 4, Augustana 2
Augustana 13, Monmouth 5 (7-6)
Steve Myros carried a three-hit shutout into the bottom of the seventh inning of the opener, and Steve Mumma put out a fire, stranding the tying runs at first and third to pick up his first collegiate save. Myros got the win, allowing six hits, two walks and two earned runs. Monmouth started the scoring in the top of the fifth as Rickey Barnett scored on Chad Goad's RBI single, and Barnett then struck the big blow of the game in the sixth, belting a three-run homer. Matt Gordon went yard for the Scots in the nightcap, but the host Vikings belted two homers and scored 10 runs over the first three innings to overcome a 4-0 Monmouth lead. Jerad Beckler, playing for an injured Jason Salmon, was 2-for-2 in the opener, and Thad King had three hits on the day. It was the fourth straight time the Scots have split a doubleheader this season.

March 12 vs. Coe College, Clearwater, Fla.
Coe 12, Monmouth 5 (6-5)
The Fighting Scots concluded their Florida swing with a nine-inning game against a Coe team they will see again on March 21 at Glasgow Field. The Kohawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead through four innings and wound up with three home runs on the day, including two by Will Renner. Monmouth was out-hit 15-5.

March 11 vs. Wabash College (2), Clearwater, Fla.
Wabash 6, Monmouth 5, 8 inn.
Monmouth 2, Wabash 1 (6-4)
In a pair of evenly-matched games, the Fighting Scots came away with a split. Steve Myros was staked to a 5-1 lead in the opener, but he surrendered a two-run homer in the fourth and Wabash scored an unearned run in the fifth to tie the game. Wabash then won the game in the bottom of the eighth on back-to-back one-out singles and a sacrifice fly. Steve Turner had a two-run single for the Scots and Alan Betourne tripled in a run in the third and scored on Tristan Reimolds' base hit. In the nightcap, Luke Atkins rebounded from a rough first start with a gem in his second Florida appearance. He allowed six hits and three walks while fanning seven. Monmouth trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the fifth, but Rickey Barnett and Chad Goad had base hits and Jason Salmon brought them home with a clutch two-out double that proved to be the game-winner.

March 10 vs. Salve Regina University (2), Clearwater, Fla.
Salve Regina 17, Monmouth 6
Monmouth 11, Salve Regina 10 (5-3)
On a day when the Fighting Scots' pitching staff was not on its game, Matt Gordon came to the rescue. The sophomore right fielder starred in the nightcap, going 3-for-5 with four RBIs, including a single in the bottom of the seventh to win the game. With one out, Josh Ragar collected his second double of the game and third of the day. One out later, Thad King's base hit tied the game and he advanced to second on a passed ball. Gordon followed with his game-winning hit. Josh Hall had belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth for a 9-2 lead, but Salve Regina tied the score with seven runs in the fifth and went up 10-9 in the top of the seventh. Alan Betourne added two hits and two RBIs for the Scots and John Scudella earned the win in relief. In the opener, SRU scored in every frame, including the sixth, when Kevin Linskey's two-run homer ended the game by the 10-run rule. King had two RBIs for the Scots.

March 9 vs. Muhlenberg College (2), Clearwater, Fla.
Muhlenberg 6, Monmouth 2
Monmouth 12, Muhlenberg 2 (4-2)
Matt Engelhardt delivered the Fighting Scots' fourth solid pitching performance of their spring break trip, salvaging a split of a doubleheader. The sophomore scattered five hits and a walk while striking out seven, including the first three batters of the game. He carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the fourth, when he gave up his only two runs. By that time, he had been staked to a 9-0 lead, with Matt Gordon contributing a two-run double and Jason Salmon, Rickey Barnett and Steve Turner each adding two-run singles. Tristan Reimolds put some icing on the cake with a two-run homer in the sixth. Salmon and Turner each had three hits apiece. Monmouth was hurt by four errors in the opener as freshman Steve Mumma took the loss, allowing eight hits and two walks in seven innings. 

March 8 vs. St. Joseph's (Maine) College (2), Clearwater, Fla.
Monmouth 4, St. Joseph's 1
Monmouth 5, St. Joseph's 2 (3-1)
Good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting keyed a doubleheader sweep for the Fighting Scots, who reached the 1,000-win plateau with their victory in the nightcap. The timeliest hit of all was Josh Hall's three-run double in the nightcap which snapped a 2-2 tie. In the opener, the Scots staked Adam Carlson to a 3-0 first-inning lead, with Rickey Barnett and Steve Turner collecting RBIs. Carlson went the distance, scattering four hits and two walks, while Mason Abner won the nightcap, allowing just two hits and two walks. Monmouth did not commit an error on the day.

March 7 vs. Clarke College (2), Clearwater, Fla.
Monmouth 6, Clarke 0
Clarke 14, Monmouth 4 (1-1)
Coach Roger Sander's decision to make Steve Myros his Opening Day starter was a good one, as the junior fired a three-hit shutout. Myros walked only one batter while striking out seven. He received support from Thad King, who belted a bases-loaded double in the Scots' five-run fourth inning. Josh Ragar had a two-run single earlier in the decisive frame. In the nightcap, Clarke roughed up starter Lukas Atkins and reliever John Scudella. James Sepich finished up with two hitless innings of relief. Jason Salmon, Josh Hall and Chad Goad each had two hits for the Scots.