Baseball Falls to Baker in Home Doubleheader

Marshall, Mo., (April 23, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team opened a Heart of America Athletic Conference series against Baker (Kan.) Wednesday afternoon in a doubleheader at Indian Foothills Park.  The Vikings fell in the first game, 9-5, and then dropped the second game, 11-4.

Game one started with Baker going in front early in the top of the first, using two hits to score two runs, 2-0.  Missouri Valley got one run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Freshman Shortstop Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) tripled, and then came home on a grounder from Freshman Leftfielder Isaac Nieters (Hughesville, Mo.) to cut its deficit, 2-1.  Senior Pitcher Bodey Ellis (Kennett, Mo.) faced the minimum in the second inning, striking out one batter, and was helped by Senior Second Baseman Ruben Fernandez (Madrid, Spain) with a line-out.  After a scoreless inning for the Vikings, Ellis struck out two batters, stranding one runner on-base to keep the scoreboard close in the top of the third.  The Wildcats added a pair of runs in the fourth, using three hits and one MVC error to hold a 4-1 advantage.  Missouri Valley closed the gap in the bottom half of the inning, which started with a single from both Nieters and Senior Third Baseman Connor Bell (San Diego, Calif.), and Fernandez followed with another single to bring home a runner, 4-2.  

Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth inning, but Baker produced from the plate in the sixth, using three hits to score two runs and extend their lead, 6-2.  Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the bottom of the inning, and the Wildcats used a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to make it a 9-2 score.  The Vikings tried to climb back late in the game, as Fernandez was hit by the pitch, Senior Rightfielder Dale Bratz (Caristairs, Alberta) singled, and Junior Pinch Hitter Tanner Duncan (Kennett, Mo.) knocked out a three-run homer, but the team fell by a final score of 9-5.

Duncan led with a three-run RBIs homer.  Both Fernandez and Nieters had a hit, one scored run and one RBI, while Suzuki and Bratz finished with one hit and one run each.  The loss went to Ellis, who pitched 3.2 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts.

The second game featured both teams kept to a scoreless first inning.  Baker went in front in the top of the second, as they scored one run on two hits, 1-0.  Missouri Valley added a run in the bottom half of the inning, as Suzuki walked, Senior First Baseman Brandon Walker (Kansas City, Kan.) followed with a single, and Bratz brought home Suzuki on a sac-fly to tie the game at 1-1.  The Wildcats responded in the top of the third, using one hit and one MVC error to score two runs and make it a 3-1 score.  The Vikings answered back in the bottom of the third, as Junior Centerfileder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) reached second on a Baker's error and reached home on a single from Nieters.  Bell was hit by the pitch and Suzuki singled to bring a runner home, while Senior Third Baseman Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, BC) followed with another single allowing Junior Pinch Runner Jacob Spear (Oakwood, Ill.), who came in to pinch run for Bell, to score and move the team on top, 4-3. 

Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning, where Freshman Pitcher Rowan Gelder (Mississauga, Ontario) struck out one batter and induced a fly-out to keep the Vikings ahead, 4-3.  However, Baker used three MVC errors to add one run in the top of the fifth and tie the game, 4-4.  Missouri Valley was unable to create from the plate in the bottom half of the inning, and the Wildcats scored six runs on five hits in the sixth to go on top, 10-4.  After a scoreless inning for the Vikings, Baker added another run in the top of the seventh to hold an 11-4 advantage.  Missouri Valley could not counter in its final at-bat, falling by a final score of 11-4.

Both Nieters and Suzuki finished with one hit, one scored run and one RBI each. Mah followed with one hit and one RBI, while Mitchell and Spear scored one run each. Senior Pitcher Caleb Bergman (Alma, Mo.) picked up the loss, going 2.0 innings, giving up three hits with two earned runs with one strikeout.

The pair of losses drops Missouri Valley to 12-32 and 7-23 in the Heart, while Baker improves to 22-22 overall and 15-15 in the conference.

Up next, the two teams will finish their Heart series with a doubleheader at Indian Foothills Park, Thursday, beginning at 12 p.m.

Game 1 Box Score - Click Here

Game 2 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.