Baseball Falls in Sunday Doubleheader at Ottawa

Ottawa, Kan., (Feb. 8, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team finished a non-conference series against Ottawa (Kan.), with a Sunday doubleheader in Ottawa, Kan.  The Vikings fell in both games.

Game one started with Ottawa going in front early, using two hits and two MVC errors to produce four runs in the bottom of the first inning, then adding one more run in the bottom of the second to make it a 5-0 score.  After a scoreless third inning for both teams, Missouri Valley threatened in the top of the fourth putting two runners on-base, as Junior First Baseman Masayoshi Hattori (Tokyo, Japan) walked and advanced to third base on a single from Freshman Third Baseman Brennan Nickerson (St. Louis, Mo.), but both runners were left stranded.  The Braves put together a long rally in the bottom half, using five hits and a MVC error to score four runs to put the advantage at 9-0.  

Missouri Valley again put two runners on-base in the top of the fifth inning, as Freshman Catcher Gabe Duncan (St. Peters, Mo.) reached first on an OU error and Sophomore Shortstop Bradley Johnson (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) walked, but the at-bat ended on a double-play, leaving two runners on-base.  Ottawa followed with five more runs scored in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the advantage out to 14-0.   The Vikings cut into its deficit in the top of the sixth, as Senior Leftfielder Filippo Bianchi (Piacenza, Italy) singled, Hattori walked and then advanced to second on an OU error, allowing Bianchi to score.  Freshman Third Baseman El-Roi Hasabu (Shawnee, Kan.) doubled to center field to bring home Hattori and make it a 14-2 score.  The Braves responded using four hits to produce three runs in the bottom half of the inning.  The top of the seventh featured a single from Hattori, but Missouri Valley was unable to produce any more runs in the seventh and fell by a final score of 17-2.

Hattori and Bianchi each added one hit and one run scored, while Nickerson and Hasabu had one hit apiece. 

After a scoreless first and second inning for Missouri Valley to open game two.  Ottawa jumped out to an early lead, using one hit and two MVC errors to produce three runs in the bottom of the first. The Braves then tacked on another run in the second inning to make it a 4-0 score.  Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the third inning, and Freshman Pitcher Drake Welch (Martinsburg, Mo.) induced two fly-outs in the bottom half to leave one runner on-base.  Ottawa added three more runs on one hit to extend their lead in the fourth inning, 7-0.  Junior Third Baseman Tyler Witt (O'Fallon, Mo.) singled in the top of the fifth but was unable to reach home safely.  The Braves followed with production from the plate in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs to hold a 9-0 advantage.  The top of the seventh featured production from the Vikings, as both Nickerson and Witt walked, and Hasabu singled to center field allowing Nickerson to score.  Junior Catcher Josh Hudson (Kansas City, Mo.) then walked, loading the bases, and Johnson brought home two runners on a double, but the Vikings fell by a final score of 9-3.

Hasabu added one hit, one run, and one RBI.  Nickerson and Witt each had one hit and one scored run, while Johnson finished with one hit and two RBIs.

Missouri Valley drops to 0-4 on the season while Ottawa improves to 7-1.

Up next, the Vikings baseball team will host Ecclesia (Ark.) in a non-conference series. Doubleheaders will be played Friday and Saturday.

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.