ST. LOUIS – After an impressive 6-3 win on Friday, Missouri Baptist came one run short of a series sweep against the Belhaven Blazers on Saturday. After a dominant 8-1 victory in game one, MBU gave up a two-run lead late and dropped game two 8-7.

Missouri Baptist (2-1) received an outstanding outing from senior Ethan Gibbons in game one. The California native went the distance and gave up one run on three hits to lead the team to an impressive performance.

In the first game, the Spartans exploded for seven runs in the second inning and chased Blazers' starter Chris Good from the game. In the inning, MBU scored all of its runs on five hits and just one error and left the bases loaded.

Joe Stropp started the scoring for MBU with a two-run RBI to give the team a 2-0 lead. Partick Johnson was the next batter and doubled down the left-field line, which scored Ryan Clarke, and MBU had a three-run lead. Pier Olivier-Dostaler, Ryan Gunhouse and Ricky Pagan also recorded an RBI in the inning.

After Belhaven scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the third,  MBU came right back in the fourth. After a Jo Jo Taylor single, Pagan hit a one-run double to left field and put the Spartans back up by seven, which is how the game stayed.

Game two was an entirely different story. The Spartans again took a big lead with a big inning, but was not able to put away the Blazers. MBU put together a four-run fourth inning and took a 7-5 lead late, but Belhaven responded and scored two in the bottom of the seventh and one in the eighth to win the battle.

MBU opened-up the scoring in the fourth inning with five-consecutive hits. Jo Jo Taylor hit a double to right-center to score Olivier-Dostaler and the team was off to the races. Ryan Gunhouse and Joe Stropp also recorded RBI in the inning to make it a 4-0 lead.

Belhaven came back with one in the bottom-half of the inning and four runs of their own in the sixth to take a 5-4 advantage. MBU fired right back with three runs in the top of the seventh.

Belhaven pitcher Robert Marzoni walked Olivier-Dostaler and Taylor to load the bases and surrendered a run off a walk to Garrett Yost to tie the game at five. MBU posted two more runs in the inning and took a 7-5 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, however, Belhaven posted another two runs and tied the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Blazers took the lead for good. Right-fielder Reagan Rutledge hit an RBI single to right field and scored left fielder Josh Bouldin to take an 8-7 lead, which was the difference.

Missouri Baptist will have a week to prepare for its next games against Lindsey Wilson in a week's time. MBU will travel to Columbia, Ky., for doubleheader on Feb. 15.