Rockford Lutheran routs South Beloit's baseball season opener

ROCKFORD — South Beloit’s baseball team allowed Rockford Lutheran to score in only two innings in Tuesday’s season opener.

Unfortunately, they were both huge innings as the host Crusaders won 12-1 in a game shortened to five innings by the mercy rule.

The SoBos pushed across a run in the first inning when Richard Carlson beat out a bunt against Lutheran starter Cole Lemmers and later scored on a dropped fly ball.

The Crusaders answered with an eight-run first, sending 14 batters to the plate against freshman Carlson. They collected six hits and three bases on balls and the SoBos committed three errors.

Carlson regrouped and worked a pair of scoreless innings. In his three innings he allowed six hits and eight runs (three earned) with three walks and four strikeouts. Reliever J. Sanders was charged with three hits and four earned runs in 1 2-3 innings. He walked three and fanned four.

Cole Lemmers went the distance for Lutheran, allowing three hits and one unearned run. He walked three and struck out 10.

Richard Carlson finished with two hits for the SoBos while Luke Carlson led Lutheran with three hits in four at-bats. Mason Villafuerte had two hits. The Crusaders had 12 stolen bases.

• LINESCORE:

R. LUTHERAN 12, SOUTH BELOIT 1

South Beloit 100 00 — 1 3 6

R. Lutheran 800 04 — 12 9 1

Leading hitters: SB, R. Carlson 2x3, 1 run; Baker 1x3. RL, Villafuerte 2x3, 3 runs, 1 rbi; Courier 1x3, 1 run, 1 rbi; Ling 1x2, 2 ruins, 2 rbi; Lemmers 1x2, 2 ruins, 2 rbi; L. Carlson 3x4, 1 run, 2 rbi.

2B: R. Carlson, Villafuerte 2, Lemmers.

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): SB, R. Carlson (L) 3.0-6-8-3-3-4; Sanders 1.2-3-4-4-3-4. RL, Lemmers (W) 5.0-3-1-0-3-10.