ST. LOUIS – [USF BOX SCORE] [CU BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist baseball recorded a shutout and an extra-innings win on Saturday as the team completed a four-game weekend series with victories over University of Saint Francis (3-0) and Clarke University (4-3).
Missouri Baptist (11-3) extended its win streak to 11 games on Saturday beginning with the shutout over Saint Francis. The Cougars were held scoreless thanks to brilliant pitching from starter Curtis Sawchuck. The Canadian picked-up his first victory of the season after tossing four innings of two-hit ball. Sawchuck recorded three strikeouts in 70 pitches to secure his first win of the season.
MBU's Ryan Clarke set-up the game's first run, which proved to be the difference, in the bottom of the third. Clarke singled up the middle and stole second to put himself in scoring position with just one out. Josh Fuentes drove Clarke around to score with a single to center.
Clarke did the same thing in the fifth. The Spartan outfielder came around to score once more after stealing second to post the team's second run. Clarke finished the day going 3-3 with three stolen bases. This season, Clarke ranks fourth in the NAIA in swiped bags and averages over one per game.
In game two, Spartan starter Dave Mullins gave-up his first earned runs of the season, three to be exact, but was picked-up by the stellar work of the MBU bullpen. Chris Kenney came-on in relief after Clarke University tied the game in the sixth. Kenney tossed one and two-thirds of one-hit ball to take the game to extras. Michael Murano finished the game and recorded his second save of the day.
Missouri Baptist started-out hot with three runs in the first, but was held scoreless until the eighth inning. In the first, Orlando Olivera hit a sacrifice fly to score Trevin Craig, and the Spartans were on the board. Enrique Pagan was the next batter and belted a two-run homer to right-center to give MBU a 3-0 lead.
After being held scoreless for six innings, the Spartans broke through in the eighth. Olivera singled, reached second on a groundout, reached third on a balk and scored on a wild pitch to give the team the extra innings victory.
Missouri Baptist is now scheduled for a Wednesday tilt at home against McKendree, but the game is likely to be snowed-out. Conference play will begin over the weekend as the Spartans will head to Arkansas to face Lyon College.
