LEWISTON, Idaho – Missouri Baptist baseball's offense got on track early and put together a six-run third inning in Friday's opener of the Avista-NAIA World Series. The Spartans tacked-on two more and defeated the No. 8-seeded Sterling College (Kan.) 8-3.

The World Series began in exciting fashion as both Sterling and Missouri Baptist left five runners stranded after one inning. In the top of the first, MBU ace Ethan Gibbons ran into trouble early after allowing two consecutive hits to the first two batters. A bobbled bunt by the starting pitcher from the next batter made it bases loaded with one out.

Warriors cleanup hitter Joe Battaglia came to the plate and popped-up to Garrett Vail to record the first out in the game. Still in trouble, Gibbons was able to get out of the early jam as he got designated hitter Andrew Clark to hit a sharp ground ball to sure-handed shortstop Patrick Johnson, who turned the 6-4-3 double play, to end the threat.

MBU put two runners on in the bottom-half, but could not get them around to score as the first inning ended with a 0-0 tie. Both starters seemed to settle-down from this point forward, that is, until the bottom of the third.

The Spartans began their first World Series game with a six-run, bottom of the third, to take a commanding 6-0 lead over the Warriors. Patrick Johnson singled and scored while all nine in the order came to the plate in the inning. Pier Olivier-Dostaler started things off with an RBI single and came around to score later in the inning on a single by Garrett Vail.

The Spartan catcher hit a line drive to left with the bases loaded, but a bad bounce and a misplayed ball by Warriors' left-fielder Anthony Steward allowed two additional runs to score and MBU to take a 4-0 lead. MBU's Joe Stropp and Dan Harper put together consecutive RBI singles with two out in the inning and tacked-on two more to finish the third.

More of the same was in store for Missouri Baptist in the bottom of the fourth. The Spartans posted two runs on two hits with one error to extend the lead to 8-0 heading into the fifth.

The Warriors put their first runs on the board in the top of the sixth. Andrew Clark singled down the left-field line to score Stewart and Jared Forbush to make it a 8-2 game. A passed-ball and a wild pitch with just one out put runners at the corners just moments later. Gibbons, however, went on to get two quick outs to end the inning.

Sterling threatened in the ninth with Chris Kenney on to pitch in relief of Gibbons. The Warriors posted one run, but Kenney finished the game with a popup to short to give Missouri Baptist its first win in World Series history.

Gibbons notched his first World Series win of his career. The senior went eight innings and allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Catcher Garrett Vail had a huge day at the plate. Vail finished 3-4 on the day and recorded three RBI, which happened to include the game winner in the bottom of the third.

With the win, Missouri Baptist advances in the winner's bracket to face No. 1-seed Faulkner University on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. CST.