ST. LOUIS – [FAULKNER BOX] [KEISER BOX] After taking an early 1-0 lead over No. 3-ranked Faulkner University (Ala.) in game one of Friday's opening day, Missouri Baptist Baseball fell victim to a two-out rally in the fifth by the Eagles en-route to an 0-2 day.

Missouri Baptist (0-2, 0-0 AMC) looked good in the early stages of Friday's first game against the highly-touted Eagles, but were unable to break through in the latter stages of Friday's seven inning affair.

MBU got its first run in the first inning thanks to an RBI single, scoring shortstop Culver Plant from second, and made it a 1-0 Spartan advantage.

The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the inning at one apiece and again in the third. The Spartans put two on the board in the top half of the third, but the Eagles again, responded with two of their own.

Missouri Baptist never trailed in the game until the bottom of the fifth. After the Spartans posted the lead run in the top of the fourth, they held the Eagles scoreless in the bottom half. A home run from Faulkner's David Planezuela sparked the home team offense and guided a two-run rally, which became the difference.

Big left-handed pitcher Patrick Boyle got the start for the Spartans and looked good in his first outing. The former Cincinnati Bearcat allowed three runs and six hits in four innings of work. Drew Montero came on in relief in the fifth and allowed what be came the game tying and winning runs, but looked outstanding with the first two batters he faced. The 6'2" junior from Florida kept the first two batters off-balance and cruised to two quick outs before the Eagles began its rally.

In game two, the Spartans faced No. 15-ranked Keiser University (Fla.), formerly Northwood University, and the offense sputtered through the first six innings. The Seahawks jumped-out to an early lead thanks to an RBI single by left fielder Carlos Lopez to make it a 1-0 lead.

Spartan starter Robert Evans allowed just the one run in the inning, and looked to have calmed down beginning in the second.

After having allowed just one hit (a double in the second inning) Evans struck-out the side in the third. From the second inning through the fifth, Evans recorded 12 outs of just 13 batters faced. Heading into the sixth inning, the junior hurler had recorded 11-consecutive outs.

While Evans was dealing on the hill, Steven Bruce silenced the Spartan bats. The Seahawks' starter tossed a gem and allowed just two hits in his six innings of work.

The Keiser bats woke-up in the top of the sixth. The Seahawks posted four runs in the top of the inning to take a commanding 5-0 lead. MBU answered in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough. Two runs crossed the plate in the inning, both unearned, as the Spartans fell to 0-2 on the season.

The Spartans have not started the season 0-2 since the 2014 season when the team lost its season opener to Faulkner. MBU actually went 0-3 to begin the year that season and finished the year one out away from the Avista-NAIA World Series.

MBU will be back in action on Saturday in Montgomery, Ala., and will face the two ranked teams once again. Game time against Faulkner is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. The game against Keiser will directly follow.