ST. LOUIS – [GAME ONE BOX] [GAME TWO BOX] The No. 3-ranked Missouri Baptist Baseball team fell in game one to Park (Mo.) on Friday, but rebounded in the second of the twin bill. After falling 2-1 in game one, Missouri Baptist collected 16 hits to even the American Midwest Conference series against the Pirates with a 14-5 victory.

Missouri Baptist (24-3, 9-2 AMC) struggled to overcome an early two-run deficit for starting pitcher Dave Mullins after the first inning. The Spartan hurler allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts in five innings of work.

The Pirates took an early lead in the bottom of the first. Christian Torres put the home team on the board first with an RBI double to left center to make it 1-0 Park. Jake Smith followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 2-0 and put the Spartans on their heels.

Park's JD Williams picked-up the win in an impressive performance. The junior from Liberty, Mo., went the distance and allowed just one run on six hits with eight strikeouts. It was Williams' first complete game of the season and of his Pirate career.

Missouri Baptist's offense looked to be back on track in the third inning and nearly tied the game with one swing of the bat of Orlando Olivera. The left fielder drilled a one-out double to right center. Jeff Smith crossed the plate as he came around from second base, but Brent Zimmerman was gunned-down at home on the play. This was the only run the Spartans managed in the game.

Game two was a completely different story for both squads. The Spartans got their offense back on track in the top of the second. MBU posted five runs in the inning, which was all started with a two RBI single down the left field line by Joey Greco.

Olivera got in on the action later in the inning. The senior slugged an RBI triple and gave the Spartans a 5-0 lead after one and a half.

The Pirates made it interesting in the bottom of the third. Aaron Pangilinan homered in the top-half of the inning to make it 6-0, but Park stormed back with three runs off MBU starting pitcher Ryan Stapp to cut the Spartan lead in half, 6-3. Missouri Baptist, however, quickly put the inning behind it.

The Spartans posted three in the sixth, two in the seventh and three more in the eighth to earn the win.

Joey Greco was outstanding in game two. The junior went 3-4 with a home run in the contest and had one of his best days at the plate in a Spartan Uniform.

GAME NOTES

Today's one-run game was the first time in 2015 that Missouri Baptist was held to less than three runs in a game… Game two's five run inning was the 12^th time this season Missouri Baptist has posted five or more runs in an inning… Joey Greco hit his first home run of the season in game two… Orlando Olivera raised his batting average seven points on Friday. He entered the day hitting .419 on the season and ended the day at .426… Missouri Baptist dropped to 3-2 on the year in one-run games