Baseball Drops Doubleheader with MidAmerica Nazarene to Close Series

Marshall, Mo., (March 14, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team finished a home Heart of America Athletic Conference series against MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Indian Foothills Park.  The Vikings fell in the first game, 6-4, and then dropped the second game, 16-4.

Game one started with MidAmerica Nazarene going in front in the top of the first, using one hit to produce one run, 1-0.  Missouri Valley threatened in the bottom half putting two runners on base, as Senior Leftfielder Shumpei Kaneko (Saitama, Japan) was hit and Sophomore Second Baseman Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) walked, but both were unable to reach home.  The Pioneers added one another run on one hit to make it a 2-0 score in the top of the second inning.  After a scoreless inning for the Vikings, MNU put a runner on base, but Freshman Pitcher Cody (Mead, Colo.) induced a double-play ball to Suzuki to help Missouri Valley get out of the top of the third inning without giving up any runs.  The bottom of the third featured production from the Vikings, as Kaneko was hit, Suzuki singled, and Senior RightFielder Colton Campbell (Aledo, Texas) walked to load the bases with two outs.  Freshman Centerfielder Aidan Bearden (Kansas City, Mo.) came up and knocked out a grand-slam homer to send the team in front, 4-2.  

Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning, but MidAmerica Nazarene worked back in the top of the fifth using four hits to score four runs, and move in top, 6-4.  Missouri Valley was unable to create from the plate in the bottom half of the inning, and Freshman Pitcher J.R. Reed (Fort Worth, Texas) took down MNU in order in the top of the sixth.  The Vikings tried to climb late in the bottom half as Freshman Third Baseman Brennan Nickerson (St. Louis, Mo.) doubled to left field, but he was left stranded.  After a scoreless inning for MidAmerica, Missouri Valley was unable to put anyone on-base in the bottom of the seventh, and fell, 6-4.

Bearden led with one hit, one score run, and four RBI's with his grand slam.  Suzuki followed with one hit and one run, while both Kaneko and Campbell had a scored run each.  The loss went to McDonald, who pitched 1.2 innings,  giving up four fits and three earned runs with one strikeout.

The second game started with Sophomore Pitcher Gavin Locke (Concordia, Mo.) inducing a fly-out and striking out one batter in the top of the first.  Missouri Valley loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning, but runners were left stranded.  After both teams were held scoreless in the second inning, MidAmerica Nazarene used three hits to produce five runs and move ahead in the top of the third, 5-0.  The Vikings were unable to produce any runs in the third inning, and the Pioneers added one run in the top of the fourth to make it a 6-0 score.  Missouri Valley answered back in the bottom half, as both Bearden and Nickerson were hit by the pitch, Freshman First Baseman Dalton Fritsche (Perryville, Mo.) reached first on a fielder's choice, and Sophomore Shortstop Bradley Johnson (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) walked to load the bases.  Freshman Catcher Gabe Duncan (St. Peter's, Mo.) came up next with a grand slam homer to cut into the team's deficit, 6-4.  MidAmerica Nazarene came through with a long at-bat in the top of the fifth, using five hits and four MVC errors to score four runs, stretching the advantage out to 12-4.  Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the bottom half of the inning, and MNU followed with more offense in the top of the sixth, bringing home another four runs to put the Vikings in a 16-4 deficit.   Missouri Valley was unable to work back late into the game, and fell by a final score of 16-4. 

Duncan led with one hit, one run, and four RBI's with his grand slam, while Fritsche, Nickerson, and Johnson scored one run each.  Locke picked up the loss, going 2.2 innings, giving up four runs and four earned runs with three strikeouts.

The pair of losses drops Missouri Valley to 2-18 and 2-2 in the Heart, while MidAmerica improves to 8-14 on the season and 2-2 in the conference. 

Up next, the Vikings baseball team will travel to Atchison, Kan., for a Heart series against Benedictine (Kan.). Doubleheaders will be played Saturday and Sunday, with 12 p.m. start times.

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.