ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist softball team faced a hot visiting Park Pirates team on Friday afternoon at MBU and picked up one win in the first game 2-0 and dropped the second game 4-3. The Spartans move to 13-9 on the season and 7-5 in the American Midwest Conference. 

The Pirates entered Fridays games on a 17 game win streak and ranked 18 in the nation. The game was scoreless into the bottom of the third inning when Corey Pitchford singled in Megan Wildhaber for the first Spartan run which proved to be the game winner. MBU would add one more run in bottom of the fourth when Payton Anderson hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Natalie Aubuchon for the final run in the game.                                                                           

MBU starting pitcher Jena Trombley threw a complete game giving up just six hits to one of the hottest hitting teams in the NAIA. Danielle Bayer, the AMC player of the week, went 2-3 in the game.

The second game did not start out the way the Spartans would have liked. MBU jumped out early and scored one run in the first, but MBU starting pitcher Morgan Truitt had to be removed due to an injury after loading the bases. Kellsie Domnitz came into a tough situation.  Domnitz gave up a few hits and the Pirates wound up scoring four runs in the inning.

In the top of third, Pitchford delivered again with a single and put MBU on the board with their first run of the game. Jenna Bentlage then stepped up and doubled down the left field line and cut the Pirates lead to just one run. However, the Spartans comeback fell short as the Pirates won the game 4-3.

The Spartans have three players batting over .400 on the season. MBU has had the offense red hot lately and looks to continue the strong play tomorrow as they host the William Woods Owls at MBU. First pitch in the double header is set for 12:30 p.m.