DIXON — The Rochelle Hub varsity baseball team split its nonconference doubleheader Saturday afternoon, when the purple and white traveled west to take on the Dixon Dukes.

Junior Breydan Andrews collected four RBIs to lead the Hubs over Dixon 7-4 in the first of the two-game series on Saturday. Rochelle looked primed for a sweep after scoring six runs in the second inning of the second game, but the Dukes rallied for eight runs across the final two frames to hand the Hubs a 9-8 loss. Rochelle (6-19, 0-14 Interstate 8) will conclude its conference schedule with the resumption of a rain-delayed game at LaSalle-Peru on Tuesday.

Game 1

Dixon held a 3-0 lead after James Leslie delivered an RBI single and Ari Selmani followed with a two-run double to right-center in the bottom of the first inning. Andrews drove home Rochelle’s first run of the game in the top of the second inning, sending a lineout to the shortstop.

The Hubs surged ahead after tallying four runs on six hits in the top of the third inning, where junior Carson Lewis and senior Chandler Cunningham each smacked RBI singles before senior Braden Behrens plated another runner on a fielder’s choice grounder. Andrews capped off the four-run frame with an RBI single up the middle, which gave Rochelle a 5-3 advantage.

Andrews extended the Hub lead in the top of the sixth inning, driving home two runners with a deep sacrifice fly to right field. Dixon answered with one run on one walk and one error on Rochelle in the bottom of the seventh inning, but an out on an attempted steal ended the game.

Senior Brock Metzger earned the win on the pitcher’s mound, throwing five innings while striking out five batters. Junior Brandyn Metzger fired the final two innings of relief to preserve the win.

Game 2

Brady Lawrence slapped an RBI single to give Dixon a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning in the second game of the doubleheader. Rochelle blew the game open in the top of the second inning, however, scoring six runs on two singles, three walks, one hit batter and one Dixon error. Junior Elijah Harley and senior Chandler Cunningham each drew bases-loaded walks for RBIs, while junior Breydan Andrews continued a strong day at the dish with an RBI single to right field.

Cunningham delivered a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning to give Rochelle a 7-1 lead over the Dukes. The Hubs added another run in the top of the fourth inning, where sophomore Brode Metzger reached base on a fielder’s choice before eventually scoring on a Dixon error.

The Dukes erased their seven-run deficit in the bottom of the fourth inning, however, tallying three runs on one hit and one Rochelle error before exploding for five runs on three singles and three walks in the top of the fifth inning. Quade Richards capped off the rally for the Dukes, sending an RBI single into left field that gave Dixon a one-run advantage, which held for the remainder of the game. Cunningham pitched four innings with three strikeouts for the Hubs.