Baseball Scores Late to Top Avila on the Road

Kansas City, Mo., (March 25, 2025)-  The Missouri Valley College baseball team traveled to Kansas City, Mo., for a non-conference 9-inning game against Avila (Mo.).  The Vikings scored late, and held off the Eagles in the final at-bat to earn a 5-4 win on the road.

Missouri Valley went in front early, producing from the plate in the top of the first inning.  Junior Centerfielder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) led off with a double, and eventually came home on a grounder from Senior Third Baseman Connor Bell (San Diego, Calif.) to make it a 1-0 score.  Avila responded in the bottom of the inning, using two hits and one walk to score three runs and move ahead, 3-1.  Sophomore Pitcher Jed Garner (Advance, Mo.) took down AU in order in the second inning, and the Vikings cut into their deficit in the top of the third.  Freshman Leftfielder Isaac Nieters (Hughesville, Mo.) was hit by a pitch, and was brought home on another double from Mitchell to put the gap at 3-2.  Missouri Valley tacked on more runs in the top of the fourth, which started on a single from Junior Rightfielder Pablo Arnaud (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic).  With two outs, Freshman Shortstop Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) belted a two-run homer, and MVC went back on top, 4-3.  The Eagles worked a two-out run in the bottom half of the inning, to tie the contest, but Senior Pitcher Colton Campbell (Aledo, Texas) ended the AU at-bat with a strikeout to strand two runners on-base.

The Vikings threatened in the fifth, as Nieters opened with a triple, but he was left stranded.  Campbell worked around a two-out single to keep the score tied at 4-4.  Both teams struggled to create from the plate through the next several innings.  Avila threatened in the bottom of the eighth, putting two runners on-base, but Junior Pitcher Caleb Monnig (Liberty, Mo.) got out of the jam to leave both runners stranded.  Missouri Valley came to the ninth and started the at-bat with a walk from Senior Second Baseman Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, British Columbia).  Suzuki singled, and Junior Pinch Runner Jacob Spear (Oakwood, Ill.) moved to second base.  Nieters was walked to load the bases, and Mitchell followed with a sac-fly to center, as Spear scored to move the team in front.  Junior Pitcher Tanner Duncan (Kennett, Mo.) came in to pitch the ninth, but the Eagles eventually put two runners on-base with two outs on a hit batter, and a walk.  Duncan ended the Avila scoring threat, striking out the next batter to preserve the 5-4 victory.

Mitchell and Suzuki both totaled two hits, one run scored and two RBIs apiece.  Nieters had two hits and one run scored, while Arnaud added one hit and one run.  The win went to Monnig, who pitched the final out in the eighth inning, and Duncan picked up the save, striking out two batters in the ninth.

The win moves Missouri Valley to 10-15 on the season, while Avila drops to 10-18.

Up next, the Viking baseball team will travel to Olathe, Kan., for a Heart series against MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.).  First doubleheader will be Friday at 1 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here 

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.