STERLING — The Rochelle Hubs played under the lights Friday evening, splitting two games during their nonconference varsity baseball doubleheader against the Sterling Golden Warriors.

Behind strong pitching from senior Ethan Goodwin and a three-hit outing from senior lead-off batter Carson Lewis, Rochelle opened the doubleheader with a 6-2 victory. The Hubs came close to sweeping the two-game set with Sterling, but the Golden Warriors rallied in the second game, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to hand Rochelle a 12-8 loss. The Hubs (6-9, 0-6 Interstate 8) will resume conference play at Morris on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

Game 1

Drew Nettleton smacked a lead-off single and scored on a wild pitch to give Sterling (8-14, 2-6 Western Big 6) a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Golden Warriors tacked on one more run in the bottom of the second inning, where Eli Penne reached on a lead-off single and scored on an error. Rochelle tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, tallying two runs on an RBI groundout from Goodwin and an RBI single to right field from sophomore Brody Bruns.

Sophomore Johnny Andrist helped the Hubs take the lead in the top of the fourth inning, belting a lead-off triple to deep right field before coming home two batters later, when sophomore Dylan Manning earned an RBI after reaching on an infield single to the shortstop. Rochelle delivered a trio of runs in the top of the seventh inning, where junior Brode Metzger came through with a two-run double to left center and Bruns followed with an RBI single to right two batters later.

Goodwin pitched a complete game for the Hubs, striking out three batters while holding the Sterling offense to three hits and just one hit over the final five innings. Metzger went 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Bruns went 2 for 3 and reached base three times in the victory.

Game 2

Rochelle claimed the early lead in the nightcap Friday evening, tallying three runs on two hits in the top of the first inning, where Ethan Goodwin pounded an RBI double into right-center field and sophomore Andrew Huerta drove home a run on a ground ball to the shortstop. Sterling answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame, making the score 3-2 after Wyatt Cassens touched home on a wild pitch and Braden Birdsley rolled an RBI groundout to second base.

Cassens came through with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning for the Golden Warriors, who tied the game before the Hubs erupted for three runs in the top of the third inning. Brode Metzger sparked the three-run frame with an RBI double to left center and Johnny Andrist reached on a dropped third strike four at-bats later to help Rochelle take a 6-3 lead in the game.

A fielder’s choice grounder led to one run for the Hubs in the top of the fourth inning. Trailing 7-3, Sterling countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, scoring after Landon Kukowski drew a bases-loaded walk and Lincoln Davis took an RBI single into right center. 

Junior Gavin Neale earned a two-out walk and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth inning, putting the Hubs ahead 8-5. Although Rochelle retired the Golden Warriors in order in the bottom of the fifth inning, Sterling exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, where two-run singles from Eli Penne and Mason Hubbard gave Sterling its first lead of the evening. A fielder’s choice grounder in the top of the seventh led to the final out of the game.

Brody Bruns earned the start for the Hubs, throwing five innings and striking out six batters. Carson Lewis went 3 for 4 with three singles from the lead-off hole, while Metzger went 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Bruns scored two runs and Neale reached base three times in the loss.