Box Score ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist utilized its power hitting in the second game of the day at the American Midwest Conference Baseball Tournament. The Spartans sent seven balls over the fence at Robin Roberts Stadium against Lyon (Ark.) and defeated the Scots 14-5. With the win, MBU will compete for the AMC Tournament Title on Tuesday.
Missouri Baptist (40-11, 16-9 AMC) recorded its first six runs on home runs in Monday's second game of the American Midwest Conference Championship Tournament. The Spartans, who entered the day ranked second in the NAIA in Home Runs per Game, sent seven balls over the fence in the game against the Scots.
Orlando Olivera started things in the opening frame as the first two batters, Jeff Smith and Brent Zimmerman, reached base. Olivera then hit his team-leading 16th home run to give MBU a 3-0 lead. The left fielder did not stop there as the late innings proved to be as fruitful as the first.
The Scots followed with some power of their own. Dylan Wooten hit his second long ball of the season to cut the Spartan lead to 3-2.
Brent Zimmerman was the second from MBU to hit one out on Monday afternoon, this one in the top of the second. With two out, the Spartan shortstop hit a ball over the left field wall to make it 4-2. At this point, the first six runs of the game had scored via home run.
Joe Campbell tied the game in the bottom of the second with another Lyon timely hit. The left fielder hit a two-RBI double to right-center field and made it a 4-4 contest.
Prior to Monday's game, Missouri Baptist had posted a team record six home runs in a game twice. The record was set in 2014 and was reached again back on April 20th of 2015 vs. Harris-Stowe (Mo.). The Spartans bested that number in this one.
Hector Candelaria, Aaron Collazo, Olivera, Roundtree and Aaron Pangilinan all followed with home runs of their own, accounting for six of the team's 14 runs, and led to the blowout win in Springfield, Ill.
Olivera's second home run was his 17th of the season, which boosted the Miami, Fla., native to No. 4 in the NAIA in Home Runs and No. 3 in Home Runs per Game.
Zimmerman, Olivera and Roundtree were especially good in this win-or-go-home game. The three accounted for 10 of the team's 19 hits on the day. In fact, Olivera's five RBI matched that of the Scots' entire team in the game.
Not to be outdone, the bottom of the Missouri Baptist order also delivered in the clutch. Brian Poupore, Hector Candelaria and Aaron Collazo all had a multi-hit day and recorded seven hits, three runs and three RBI.
On a day where eight home runs were hit in the ball game, perhaps the most overlooked aspect was the pitching performance of Aaron Pangilinan. The first baseman and sometime designated hitter entered in the sixth inning for just his second pitching appearance of the season and put together a remarkable four innings of work.
Pangilinan allowed three hits, no earned runs, and provided four strikeouts on the day as he not only preserved the win for MBU, but provided four solid innings of relief to help aid the bullpen for Tuesday's game.
The Spartans will now advance to the "If-Necessary" game on Tuesday and will play the Scots for the AMC Tournament Championship. The Spartans have not won the Championship since 2012 when they defeated William Woods (Mo.) 9-7 in a rain-soaked tournament that was stretched-out to nearly a full week of play due to inclement weather.
At the conclusion of Tuesday's championship game, the AMC All-Conference Team will be announced.
GAME NOTES
Orlando Olivera's 17 home runs and 60 RBI are the second-most in both categories in five years. Matt Holliman recorded 19 home runs and 63 RBI in the 2010 season… Eli Roundtree's 47 walks in 2015 is a new MBU single-season record… Olivera and Roundtree have now hit back-to-back home runs four times in 2015 (3/9 vs. Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.), 4/1 vs. Missouri Valley, 4/20 vs. Harris-Stowe (Mo.), and 5/4 vs. Lyon (Ark.))
