Rochester baseball wins program's first regional title, await semi-state opponent

It took awhile for Rochester to get the bats going. But the middle innings of Saturday’s regional championship at Loeb Stadium proved to be the difference in the baseball program’s first ever regional title.

Seventh-ranked (2A) Rochester (20-10) scored twice in the fourth inning to erase a 1-0 deficit that had been in place since a Benton Central run in the bottom of the first.

The fifth inning provided the winning margin as the Zebras scored five times to extend the lead to 7-1. Benton Central (17-14) countered with a run in the bottom half of the fifth and two more in the sixth to narrow the Rochester lead to three runs.

Rochester junior Tanner Reinartz came on in relief and shut down the Benton Central comeback effort with a scoreless seventh to earn the save and secure the berth in the semi-state.

Sophomore Carson Paulik started on the hill and worked six innings to gain the win.
At the plate, Paulik tripled and drove in two runs. Brant Beck, Brady Beck, Colton Ferverda and Brady Coleman each drove in a run for the Zebra offense. Ferverda and Gavin Young both doubled to contribute to Rochester’s total of nine hits.

Up next, a semi-state opponent still to be determined. Eastbrook (12-14) will play Westview (18-10) in a Monday night regional game at Oak Hill with the winner to meet Rochester in the semifinal.

The other half of the northern semi-state bracket will feature Illiana Christian (19-9) and Madison-Grant (17-10).