Mavericks roll past Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. — When the Mid-Missouri Mavericks decide to score runs, they do it in bunches.

After managing six runs in their first two games on the road, the Mavs scored more than that Tuesday night, beating the Rockford Riverhawks 8-0 in the rubber match of their three-game series at Marinelli Field.

Starting pitcher Justin Stine (7-6) picked up the win, going eight strong innings, allowing only five hits and walking none. The Mavericks’ defense played a large part in his success, given that Stine failed to strike out a batter.

Closer Chris Barbettini came on in the ninth for Stine and retired two of the three batters he faced, striking out one. Left-handed specialist Ryan Bogardus then replaced Barbettini in an effort to retire left-handed batter Bobby Matthews.

The Riverhawks countered by pinch-hitting right-hander Ben Fjelland for Matthews and Bogardus walked him, as well as the next batter, Mark Garner. Bogardus finally calmed down, striking out Dan Urban with the bases loaded to end the game.

The Mavs (23-37) got the scoring under way in the third when Jake Whitesides doubled to right-center field to score Wes Fewell and Seth Brown, who had reached on back-to-back walks to start the inning. Then, on the next pitch, Bill Greenwell doubled to center to score Whitesides, making it 3-0.

Mid-Missouri scored three more runs in the fifth.

Brown singled to lead off the inning and Cooper Vittitow and Greenwell drew walks to load the bases. Brown scored on a single to left by Jose Carreno and Vittitow scored on an infield single by Blake Blase that bounced off pitcher Steve Sobkowiak’s leg.

Darrell Sinclair then walked with the bases loaded to score Greenwell.

In the ninth, the Mavs scored insurance runs.

Whitesides and Greenwell led off with back-to-back singles before Carreno singled to left to score Whitesides. Urban, in left field, then made a throwing error, allowing Ric Prussing, who had been put in as a pinch runner for Greenwell, to score a from first.