FULTON, Mo. – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist mounted a three-run rally in the top of the seventh but allowed the winning run to cross the plate in the bottom-half of the same inning in a 4-3 loss on the road to the William Woods Owls on Friday.
Missouri Baptist (32-6, 15-3 AMC) ran into early trouble in the bottom of the first, but starter Brandon Zywicki was able to get out of the jam. Zywicki walked the Owl's leadoff hitter, Sam Moon, and botched a throw to first to allow the first two to reach base. With runners at second and third, with two away, the Spartan starter struck-out Nick Spagnola to end the early threat.
The Owls, however, broke through in the third. William Woods posted three runs on four hits to take the early lead.
MBU struggled to get the timely hits it needed until the top of the seventh when Brent Zimmerman shifted the momentum with one swing of the bat. The Spartan third baseman sent a 1-2 pitch over the left-center field fence to plate the first run for the Spartans. Josh Fuentes followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-2 and set the stage for Dan Harper.
Harper, the Spartan first baseman, came to the plate with runners at the corners and one out and delivered a sacrifice fly to center field. Ryan Clarke came in to score from third and Missouri Baptist entered the bottom of the seventh tied at three.
Carl Jameson came on in relief of Colby Duncan in the bottom of the seventh. The inning proved to be a wild one as Jameson was the recipient of a tough call.
Jameson allowed a leadoff base hit to Zach Nichols, but the hit was soon nullified after a big play by MBU's Zimmerman got the out at second on the ensuing at-bat. Zimmerman charged-in on Spagnola's bunt attempt and made a perfect throw down to second to get the lead runner. Spagnola, however, stole second on the next at-bat to put a runner in scoring position with just one out.
Jameson bore-down on the next batter, Austin Clapp and got the strikeout to leave MBU just one out away from getting out of the inning. On the strikeout, however, Clapp stole third, to put the lead run just 90 feet away.
Dustin Kremer came to the plate and looked to be the hero, but it was the home plate umpire who would take center stage in the Owl victory. Jameson seemingly struck-out Kremer on a high fastball, but suddenly confusion ensued on the field as a balk was called several seconds after the final strike that would have ended the inning.
The balk allowed the lead run to score and the Owls took a 4-3 lead on the controversial call. Coaches Eddie Uschold and Kenny Graser both protested the call with both umpires, but the call stood, leaving the Spartans in a sudden, and unexpected, hole.
Jameson struck-out Kremer again just two pitches later, which officially ended the inning.
Missouri Baptist was unable to post another comeback as Owl's reliever James Ball picked-up the win.
MBU will play William Woods in the final two games of the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. in Fulton, Mo.
