ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE GAME 1] [BOX SCORE GAME 2] Missouri Baptist baseball averaged 10 runs in each game of Tuesday's doubleheader vs. Missouri Valley College in 7-3 and 13-10 wins on the road.
Missouri Baptist (32-5) improved second-ranked NAIA record to a winning percentage of .865 with the two victories over a Missouri Valley team that has struggled in 2014.
It was an offensive display in both games, all starting with the seven runs the Spartans posted in game one. MBU posted back-to-back two-run innings, in the third and fourth, and added another in the sixth to lock-down the win.
Josh Fuentes, Ryan Clarke, Orlando Olivera and Jeff Smith all recorded two-hit performances in addition to one double a piece. Fuentes and Olivera both added a pair of RBI in the contest.
Michael Yarborough picked-up his eighth win of 2014 in game one. The Spartan right-handed pitcher tossed four innings and allowed just one hit while posting five strikeouts.
In game two, four Spartans recorded a multi-hit game on the way to the 13-10 win. Josh Fuentes led the charge with three hits (3-4 on the day) and grabbed a double, two RBI and a stolen base in the game.
Olivera went 2-5 with three RBI in the game while Trevin Craig went 2-3 with four runs scored.
Missouri Baptist put-up a pair of four-run innings in the second and third, and led 9-7 after three full innings. MBU posted two more in both the fourth and sixth innings to secure the 32nd win of the year.
Overall, the Spartans posted 13 runs on 14 hits while the Vikings managed 10 runs on just eight hits. Fielding was the issue in the final game of the day as both teams were charged a staggering five errors a side.
Missouri Baptist improved to 32-5 with the wins and moved-up in the newest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday afternoon. The Spartans rose one spot to No. 3 overall, tied with Faulkner University. This is the highest the team has been ranked in 2014 as the team enters the stretch run.
The Spartans will remain on the road on Friday as the team will play the first of a three-game series against William Woods University. The Owls received votes in the latest poll for the second-consecutive week. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Fulton, Mo.
