ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist football rallied with 13 third quarter points in Saturday's game against Arizona Christian, but fell short in a 38-13 loss at home
Missouri Baptist (0-9) had one of its best offensive games of 2014, but was unable to stop key drives down the stretch as the Firestorm collected its second win of the season.
Arizona Christian struck first, late in the first quarter to take an early lead. Ryan Esslinger led the Firestorm in a drive of over four minutes, which was capped-off with a two-yard touchdown run by Tyler Ellenberger.
The Firestorm continued to pressure the Spartan defense in the second half. Mike Brown led the ground game for Arizona Christian with 63 rushing yards in the quarter and one touchdown to make it a 17-0 deficit for MBU at the half.
It was the third quarter, however, that Missouri Baptist began to look like they had figured things out. The Spartans posted 13 points and closed the gap to four points.
Spartan running back Antoryio Barton began the first series of the third quarter with a big, 30-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. Just moments later, kicker Alex McGlassion knocked his first of two field goals on the day through the uprights put the home team on the board.
On the ensuing drive by Arizona Christian, the Spartan defense came-up big. As the firestorm were driving, MBU was able to make a big, fourth down stop on their own 27 yard line to take over on downs. It was this stop that set-up the first and only touchdown drive on the night for Missouri Baptist.
Quarterback DeMarco Billups hooked-up for a nine-yard connection with his favorite receiver on the night, Cole Lema. The sophomore from Ballwin, Mo. collected the first 100 yard receiving performance in the history of Missouri Baptist Football on the night with 107 yards.
With the ball on their own 46 yard line, Billups dialed-up a big play to Alexis Nunley for a 23 yard gain to set-up two big runs for Barton, including a 12-yard touchdown run to make it a 17-10 game.
Missouri Baptist's defense forced a three-and-out on the next Firestorm drive to help MBU get an opportunity to tie it. That nearly happened in the first play as Billups connected again with Lema on the longest pass play of the night, a 57-yard reception, to set-up first and goal on the ACU nine yard line. Alex McGlassion came in to kick his second field goal of the night, a 17-13 deficit was as close as the Spartans got.
The Firestorm scored 21 unanswered points from that point to grab its second win of the year.
Missouri Baptist will host its final home game of the season next Saturday as the University celebrates homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. at CBC. In honor of homecoming weekend, the game will be free for all fans. Gates open one hour prior to kickoff.
