ST. LOUIS – [BOX GAME 1] [BOX GAME 2] The Spartans rode a strong pitching performance from Andrea Chessor to open the 2016 season with a 2-1 win, before falling to Martin Methodist 8-3 in game two.

Chessor (1-0) got the opening day start for MBU and picked up right where she left off from a season ago. The junior allowed just one run on five hits in seven strong innings of work. She picked up win number one in start number one with the complete game after notching nine victories in 2015.

Missouri Baptist (1-1) struck first in game one via the long ball. Amanda Williams homered in her first at-bat as a Spartan to give MBU the early 1-0 lead. However, the lead turned out to be short-lived, as Martin Methodist (1-1) answered in the bottom half.

Chessor hit the first batter with a pitch, who then advanced into scoring position with a stolen base. After a strikeout, the next batter Dharianna Familia doubled to knot things up at 1-1.

Thanks to Chessor's dominance, the Spartans only needed one more run of support and provided that in the fifth. Williams came through again with a leadoff single to start the rally. Adrianna Ross advanced her to second on a bunt and then pinch runner Pamela Diaz took third on the throw. Rachel Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Diaz, which proved to be the game's winning and final run.

Martin Methodist singled twice in the seventh, but Chessor locked down and got the final batter Callie Pendley to groundout to the mound with the tying run at third base.

Game two also remained close throughout until the later innings. Missouri Baptist jumped out to a 3-1 lead, but couldn't hold on. They struck first yet again with two runs in the second.

Williams led off with a single and eventually came around to score via a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Garcia then put the Spartans up 2-0 when she left the yard on a 1-1 pitch for her first home run of the season.

The Redhawks answered with a run in the bottom half, but MBU got it right back in the third. Deanna Peters singled with one out and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Payton Anderson brought Peters around the bases with a double to give MBU a 3-1 lead.

Martin Methodist tied the game with runs in the fourth and fifth before breaking the game open with a five-run sixth inning. Cierra Liddick kept the Spartans in it when she left with one out after issuing a walk.

Jolyn Lake entered in a tough spot in relief and the next batter homered on a 2-0 pitch to give the Redhawks the lead for good. Martin Methodist tacked on three more runs to lead 8-5, but the damage was already done.

MBU had two runners reach in the seventh, but couldn't bring them around to score. They'll be right back in action tomorrow against Asbury University and Bethel University in McKenzie, Tenn. First pitch against Asbury is set for 11:00 am. They'll take on Bethel at 2:00 pm.