Baseball Hosts Mount Mercy in Tuesday Doubleheader

Marshall, Mo., (March 24, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team hosted Mount Mercy (Iowa) in a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon on Wood & Huston Field at Indian Foothills Park.  The Vikings fell in both games of the doubleheader to the Mustangs.

The opening game began with Freshman Pitcher JR Reed (Fort Worth, Texas) keeping Mount Mercy scoreless in the top of the first inning, stranding one runner on-base.  The top of the second inning began with a strikeout for Reed, but the Mustangs followed with a rally, using three hits and two MVC errors to produce three runs and take an early lead.  The Vikings answered in the bottom half of the inning, which started on a double from Junior Designated Hitter Masayoshi Hattori (Tokyo, Japan).  A grounder from Sophomore First Baseman Wyatt Kemper (Ste Genevieve, Mo.) brought home Hattori for the team's first run of the inning.  Later, a single from Freshman Catcher Gabe Duncan (St. Peters, Mo.) drove home Junior Leftfielder Alex Alton (Jacksonville, Mo.), while a single from Freshman Centerfielder Aiden Bearden (Kansas City, Mo.) scored Sophomore Shortstop Bradley Johnson (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) to tie the teams at 3-3.

Mount Mercy followed with more runs scored over the next three innings.  The Mustangs added two runs in both the third and fourth innings, and tacked on another four runs in the top of the fifth.  Missouri Valley cut into its deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning, as a single from Sophomore Second Baseman Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) allowed Johnson and Alton to score safely.  The late pair of runs were not enough for the Vikings, as MMU added three run runs in the top of the seventh to close scoring and hand Missouri Valley a 14-6 defeat.

Alton finished with two hits, two runs scored and one RBI, while both Hattori and Johnson totaled two hits and two runs apiece.  Suzuki had one hit and two RBIs, and both Duncan and Bearden had one hit and one RBI each.

Mount Mercy went in front early in the second game, scoring one run in the top of the first inning.  Freshman Pitcher Justin Case (Fulton, Mo.) responded to take down the Mustangs in order in the top of the second inning, keeping Missouri Valley in a 1-0 deficit.  The Mustangs followed with production from the plate in the top of the third inning, using three hits and one error to produce two runs.  Case got out of the inning with a strikeout to leave two runners stranded, as the score sat at 3-0.  After a scoreless bottom of the third, MMU added another three runs in the top half of the fourth inning.  The bottom of the fourth began with a single from Hattori, while Kemper worked a walk.  The pair were moved into scoring position on a sac-bunt from Alton, but the two were left on-base to end the scoring threat.  Mount Mercy added one more run, in the top of the fifth inning, and Freshman Pitcher Drake Welch (Martinsburg, Mo.) kept the team scoreless in the final two innings of play.  Missouri Valley put two runners on-base in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Hattori reached on an error and Kemper walked, but could not bring either of the runners home.  The Vikings were unable to produce in the bottom of the seventh inning, and fell by a final score of 7-0.

Hattori and Bearden each had one hit, while Welch pitched two innings in relief, not allowing a hit and striking out one batter.

Missouri Valley falls to 2-24 on the season while Mount Mercy improves to 19-9.

Up next, the Viking baseball team will host Central Methodist (Mo.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference series, this weekend.  The opening doubleheader is Saturday, beginning at 12 p.m., at Wood & Huston Field.

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.