STERLING — The Hubs varsity baseball team dominated the Sterling Golden Warriors on Tuesday, winning on the road by a final score of 13-2 to clinch a share of the Northern Illinois Big 12 West Championship. Rochelle (11-6, 9-2 NIB-12 West) can earn the outright title with a victory over Sterling at home on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

The Hubs plated three runs in the top of the first inning to jump ahead 3-0 before Sterling rebounded with one run in the bottom frame. Senior Johnny Kisner walked and scored on an RBI double by junior Johnny Beck, and junior Hayden Jones walked before Beck scored on senior Noah Mershon’s RBI single. Sophomore Gavin Ansteth hit a sacrifice fly to plate Jones.

Rochelle went ahead 4-1 in the top of the second inning when junior Brandon Johnson walked and scored on Beck’s second RBI double of the day. The Hubs added three more runs in the top of the third inning to lead 7-1 after Mershon walked, junior Cody Johnson doubled and senior Riley Lodico singled. Junior Zack Bernardin slapped a two-RBI single to plate Mershon and Cody Johnson, and Brandon Johnson’s RBI double scored Lodico.

Mershon’s second walk of the game led to Cody Johnson’s sacrifice fly to put the Hubs ahead 8-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Sterling earned one run back in the bottom frame to cut Rochelle’s lead to 8-2 before the Hubs exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth inning. Beck and Jones singled before Mershon recorded his third walk to load the bases for Ansteth, who crushed a two-RBI double.

Lodico singled and Bernardin reached on a hit-by-pitch before Brandon Johnson lofted a sacrifice fly. Kisner earned the victory on the pitcher’s mound for Rochelle, tossing seven innings for a complete game and striking out seven batters.