Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Baker

The opening game featured both teams leaving one runner stranded in the first inning. Baker followed with a two-out rally in the second inning, using two walks and a single to bring home one run and make it a 1-0 score.  The first hit of the game for Missouri Valley came in the top of the fourth, on a single from Junior Centerfielder Ivory Daniels (Little Rock, Ark.).  Daniels eventually reached third base, but was left stranded.  Freshman Pitcher Luke Brooks (Hastings, Neb.) took down BU in order in the bottom half, striking out one.  Sophomore Leftfielder Jayden Simpliciano (Honolulu, Hawaii) opened the fifth inning with a single, then stole second base, but could not advance further in the at-bat.  Missouri Valley tied the game in the top of the sixth, as Mogollon knocked out a solo homer to make it a 1-1 contest.  The Wildcats put a pair of runners on-base in the bottom half of the inning, but Brooks got out of the jam without giving up any runs.  The two teams were unable to break the deadlock in the seventh, sending the game into extra-innings for the third time in the series.  With two outs in the top of the eighth, Missouri Valley put together a rally.  Daniels and Ohashi both singled, and the pair came home on a Sophomore Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, British Columbia) double.  Sophomore First Baseman Luke Stone (Rockford, Ill.) followed with a run-scoring double to cap the rally and put MVC in front, 4-1.  Sophomore Pitcher Conner Bergman (Alma, Mo.) struck out two batters in the inning, and stranded two base runners to finish out a 4-1 victory.

Daniels had two hits and one run scored, while Mah added one hit and two RBI's.  Mogollon finished with one hit, one run and one RBI, and Stone had one hit and one RBI.  The win went to Sophomore Pitcher Somer Cedeno (La Romana, Dominican Republic), who pitched one inning in relief, while Bergman recorded the save.

Baker threatened in the bottom of the first of game two, using a triple and two walks to lead the bases, but Sophomore Pitcher Koby Linder (Green Castle, Mo.) got out of the jam without giving up a run.  Missouri Valley produced from the plate in the second inning, as Stoner belted a solo homer to put the team in front, 1-0.  The Wildcats responded with a rally in the bottom half of the inning, using two hits and a wild pitch to bring home a pair of runs to go on top, 2-1.  Mogollon tied the game in the top of the third, hitting his second solo homer of the day, making it a 2-2 score.  The two teams were kept scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, but BU reclaimed the lead, at 3-2, with one run on two hits in the bottom of the sixth.  The Vikings were unable to put anyone on-base in the team's final at-bat in the seventh, and fell by a final score of 3-2.

Mogollon and Stoner each had one hit, one run and one RBI on solo homers.  Simplicia added one hit.  Senior Logan Ellinwood (Shreveport, La.) picked up the loss, going 3.1 innings in relief, giving up three hits and one earned run with one strikeout.

Missouri Valley moves to 10-19 overall and 6-10 in the Heart.  Baker sits at 18-14 on the season and 10-6 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking baseball team will go back on the road to Dubuque, Iowa, for a four-game Heart series against Clarke (Iowa), Friday and Saturday with doubleheaders at 1 p.m., each day.

Game 1 Box Score-Click Here

Game 2 Box Score-Click Here

ABOUT MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.