SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Missouri Baptist took a 5-2 lead into the ninth inning against William Woods in the American Midwest Conference semifinals, but failed to hold-on to the lead. WWU tied the game in the ninth and posted the winning run in the 10th inning to advance to the championship game on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. with a 6-5 victory.
Missouri Baptist (31-10, 24-4) posted two runs in the second, three in the third and took a commanding 5-2 lead. The team, however, left the door open in the ninth. Closer Matt Marsh surrendered two walks and one wild pitch in the inning allowing the Owls opportunities to get back into the game.
After posting two runs prior to the ninth inning, William Woods came through with clutch at-bats throughout the ninth and secured its spot in the championship game. With runners on the corners and just one out, pinch runner Ryan Schuermann scored on a wild pitch by Marsh, making it a 5-3 ballgame.
Marsh stopped the bleeding briefly as he picked-off Austin Clapp in an attempted steal from second to third, but a walk and two singles changed the momentum. A sharply hit ball by Stephen Kohler that ricocheted off Marsh's hand, causing shortstop Patrick Johnson to bobble the ball behind him, made it bases loaded with two outs. On the next at-bat, Zach Nichols hit a hard grounder to Spartan third-baseman Jo Jo Taylor. The ball, however, took a high bounce and went off Taylor's glove into the outfield and allowed two runs to score.
Marsh finished the ninth inning with a strikeout and the game went to extra innings. MBU was held scoreless by the Owls' Matt Thomas and gave the team another opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the 10th.
In the 10th, the Spartans allowed three free passes and an intentional walk. Marsh walked the first two batters, and after a bunt popout on the infield, the MBU closer intentionally walked Austin Clapp to load the bases with one out.
Marsh walked the final batter and allowed the Owls to take the game in dramatic fashion. Patrick Johnson and Ricky Pagan, who both went 2-5 on the day, led the Spartans. Pagan added two RBI and a double to his totals while Johnson recorded a triple in the game.
With the loss, Missouri Baptist will now drop to the loser's bracket and will compete on Monday evening against the winner of the second game between Lyon College and Benedictine-Springfield. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Robin Roberts Stadium.
