Former Boylan pitcher throws Rockford University right into postseason fold
Former Boylan Titan Alex Easton got his first chance to start on the mound for Rockford University late in the season on Wednesday night, and he threw the Regents right into the mix for a postseason NACC conference tournament bid.
More: College sports Dynamic duo: Rockford Boylan soccer teammates to play for same NCAA Division I team
"It just feels good to finally be able to go out there and throw like this, and contribute," said Easton, a freshman left-handed pitcher who was Boylan's ace on the mound last year. "Now, we have to go out there and make sure we do what we have to do to keep it going."
Easton had been pitching at the junior varsity level most of the season, but with a playoff bid slipping away, he got hot at just the right time. His last three outings have been nearly flawless, and he went eight shutout innings in his first start on Wednesday to put the Regents in a tie with three other teams for the sixth and final NACC Tournament slot.
Here is what this latest stretch has meant to Easton and the Regents:
Soaring into contention
Rockford (16-18, 11-9 NACC) had a stretch of a dozen games where it went 4-8, putting the Regents three games behind three other teams in the race for the final playoff spot. The Regents, sparked by Easton's surge on the mound and plenty of strong hitting, have won seven of their last eight games and are now right in the mix.
"He waited for his turn, and it's paying off for him right now," Rockford head coach Bob Koopmann said of Easton. "He's a big reason why we are where we are. The team is playing well as a whole, though, too."
Easton gains momentum
After showing promise but not much flare during seven relief appearances, Easton threw six shutout innings in relief to get the win last weekend, and then started Game 2 on Wednesday, going eight scoreless innings to bump his streak to 14 straight shutout frames.
"My change-up has been much better and I've been able to use it a lot more, and that's been key," Easton said of his resurgence. "Everybody has been playing really well behind me, too, and the guys are hitting."
Who else is hot
Offensively, Rockford's right fielder Joe Stagowski recently returned from a six-game absence while in concussion protocol after running into the wall while making a catch in the conference opener, and he's been hitting the ball hard. He's hitting a team-high .434 with three homers and 11 doubles. BJ Graves, the every-other-day DH, is hitting .400 on the season; leadoff hitter Jake Bilotta is hitting .349 with 11 doubles; and Ryan Stejskal, hitting out of the No. 3 spot, is at .374 on the year with a team-high four home runs.
What's coming up
Rockford is at Aurora for a double header on Friday and hosts Benedictine on Saturday for two, both days starting at noon. Those are the two top teams in the conference, and they have both secured their spots in the conference tourney. Rockford is battling five other teams for the final two spots.
What do they have to do
Rockford will lock down a postseason berth with a sweep of both teams, but that's a tall order. If the Regents lose at least one game, they will need help from other teams in the hunt.
"There's a bunch of us chasing those last spots; this is when it gets stressful, but fun," Easton said. "It's fun just to be a part of it, and be in the mix."
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a wide variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears to youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star, and for over 30 years all together.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Former Boylan pitcher throws Rockford University into postseason fold
