ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] After blowing a 5-1 lead in an elimination game against William Woods (Mo.) on Monday, it was apparent that Missouri Baptist was going to need some late-inning heroics. Jeff Smith provided the fireworks in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off home run to give the Spartans a 6-5 win and sent the team into the American Midwest Conference Championship Game in the process. The win also secured MBU's spot in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the fifth consecutive season.
Missouri Baptist (39-11, 18-9 AMC) came out swinging in the first inning after incurring an early deficit. The Spartans were active on the base path, down 1-0, after a walk to the leadoff man, Smith. The Hamilton, Ohio native proceeded to steal second and scored the first MBU run on an Orlando Olivera single to tie the game.
Missouri Baptist posted its second run in the same fashion. Olivera stole second and scored on a two-out, RBI single by Aaron Pangilinan to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
The Spartans put two more on the board in the third, thanks to another leadoff runner. Brent Zimmerman hit a leadoff double to put MBU back in business. Eli Roundtree singled to score Zimmerman and extended the lead to 3-1.
Just moments later, Missouri Baptist made it a 4-1 game. Pangilinan and Cusick hit back-to-back singles and advanced Roundtree home as the Spartans took a three-run lead.
Eli Roundtree extended the lead once more in the fourth. A fielding error with two outs was central in the inning as an error by shortstop Stephen Kohler allowed Zimmerman to reach. An Orlando Olivera single advanced the Spartan shortstop to second and Roundtree delivered the RBI after to make it a 5-1 lead.
The Owls struck back in the sixth with one run and then, in the top of the seventh, evened the score. Two walks and three hits for William Woods did the damage and were responsible for three runs to make it a 5-5 game heading into the bottom of the seventh.
William Woods had an opportunity to take a lead in the top of the ninth with Spartan closer Marcus Crescentini on the mound, but came 90 feet short. Leadoff man Larry Price reached first after getting hit with the pitch and advanced to second on a stolen base just moments later. With one out, Price stole third and put the pressure squarely back on Missouri Baptist.
Crescentini walked Dustin Kremer, who had four doubles in the game heading into that at-bat, and put the double play back in order. After a bunt popout, Austin Clapp struck-out to end the threat for the Owls.
Missouri Baptist needed just one batter to end the game in the bottom of the ninth. Jeff Smith led-off and provided what could be described as the most important home run of the season for the Spartans. The third-baseman corked a ball to left center on a 2-2 pitch to send MBU to the championship game against Lyon (Ark.).
A Missouri Baptist victory in game two today will send the tournament to an if-necessary game on Tuesday. A Lyon victory will seal the tournament championship for the Scots.
