ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist pounded 15 runs on 13 hits on Friday in a 15-1 win over the Hannibal-LaGrange Trojans at home.
Missouri Baptist (35-9, 17-4) belted three home runs in the game, including a three-run shot in the fifth from Josh Fuentes, and continued to look like one of the top offensive teams in the nation.
MBU posted two runs in both the third and the sixth innings, but pounded 11 runs home in the bottom of the fifth. 17 batters came to the plate in the Spartan-half of the fifth as Orlando Olivera both homered and singled in the same inning. Brent Zimmerman and Josh Fuentes both finished the game with four RBI a piece.
Erik Garcia homered over the left-center field wall to begin the fifth while Fuentes and Olivera also homered. The Spartans collected six more hits in the inning, two of which were doubles, on the way to the blowout win.
Brandon Zywicki collected his 10th win of the season and is now 10-0 on the year. The record is tied for the second-best record in the nation.
MBU entered play on Friday with a magic number of six in order to clinch the AMC regular season crown. With the win, the number is lowered to five and could dip to four with a Lyon loss to Harris-Stowe.
Missouri Baptist will finish the series against the Trojans on Saturday as Dave Mullins and Michael Yarborough are scheduled to make starts. Game time for the first of the doubleheader is set for 12:00 p.m.
Prior to Saturday's game, the team will celebrate senior day as Aaron Basler, Paul Hrvol, Ryan McClaran, Joe Stropp, Jacob Eichhorn, Ryan Clarke, Vinnie Fresquez, Dan Harper, Pier-Olivier Dostaler, Enrique Pagan and Curtis Sawchuck will all be honored prior to Saturday's game. Pre-game festivities are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.
