ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist had to rely on its strong two-out hitting on Friday to record its 16th win of 2014. Trailing by one with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Erik Garcia homered and Josh Fuentes hit a walk-off RBI double to take the first game of the series against Williams Baptist, 4-3.
Missouri Baptist (16-3, 1-0 AMC) posted a run in the second and one in the fourth before allowing three runs in the top of the eighth as Williams Baptist was looking to steal the first game of the series.
Dave Mullins tossed seven and two-thirds of an inning for Missouri Baptist before running into trouble in the eighth. The Spartan lefty got two quick outs on four pitches before the wheels began to come-off.
Mullins allowed four consecutive hits with two out in the eighth. The third hit of that string, a single by Cogan Ford through the hole at shortstop, put the Eagles on the board for the first time. Then, with runners at first and second, WBC left fielder Spencer Theilemier doubled home the tying run.
With runners at second and third, Mullins was replaced by Spartan closer Michael Murano. The California native hit Eagles' right fielder Michael Ludwig to load the bases. Then, with Kendall Fay at the plate, Murano was called for a balk, which advanced all three of the runners, including Ford to home, and gave Williams Baptist a 3-2 lead.
Eagles' starting pitcher Daniel Rodriguez allowed just one hit in the bottom of the eighth, a double to Orlando Olivera, but shut the door on the Spartans and sent the game to the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Rodriguez got two quick outs to put Spartan catcher Erik Garcia at the plate with the game on the line. Garcia delivered.
The Spartan catcher sent a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left center field to tie the game and give MBU a chance to win it.
Taylor Wilson came on in relief of Rodriguez, but the move did not pay dividends to the Eagles. Wilson hit Trevin Craig to put the potential winning run on first with Josh Fuentes at the plate. Fuentes, who had been held hitless on Friday with a 14-game hitting streak on the line, stroked a line drive down the left field line to score Craig all the way from first to win the game for MBU.
Craig led the team on the day, going 2-3 at the plate with a walk and a run scored. Orlando Olivera was the only other Spartan to record a multi-hit day as the left fielder went 2-4.
Missouri Baptist will now get set for the doubleheader finale of the weekend series on Saturday. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. as Brandon Zywicki will take the hill for Missouri Baptist. Michael Yarborough is scheduled to start game two.
GAME NOTES
Josh Fuentes extended his season-long hit streak to 15 games with his walk-off double in the ninth… Michal Murano picked-up his first win as a Spartan… Erik Garcia's ninth inning homerun was his second homerun of the season… Missouri Baptist extended its season-long winning streak to 16 games… Fuentes has been the starting shortstop for all 19 games this season… Missouri Baptist came into Friday's game hitting .368 with two outs before delivering two hits to win Friday's game… Fuentes recorded his first hit with bases loaded on the year… Orlando Olivera recorded his eighth multi-hit game of 2014.
