ST. LOUIS– [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist Baseball carried a 5-1 lead into the sixth and unloaded for eight runs in the inning as they defeated the Park (Mo.) Pirates 13-1 in the American Midwest Conference opener on Friday.

Missouri Baptist (11-5, 1-0 AMC) got its conference season started on the right foot, but allowed the first run of the game in the top of the first. The Pirates jumped on Donnie Lovelady early, but the Spartan hurler calmed-down and completed the game.

Park posted the games' first run in the top of the first. After the Spartans recorded two outs, Shane Boyer scored on a wild pitch to put the team from Parkville up 1-0.

Missouri Baptist responded in the bottom half. After a Culver Plant double to put runners at second and third with one out, Brian Poupore delivered a sacrifice fly to right with no outs and tied the game at one.

Daniel Bradley came to the plate next and put the Spartans in the lead. The junior from New Zealand crushed a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall to put Missouri Baptist up 3-1.

The Spartans extended their lead to 5-1 before the biggest inning of the season came to pass. Hector Candeleria put the first runs on the board for Missouri Baptist with a two-RBI single and made it a 7-1 game.

Plant later extended the lead to 9-1 on a two-RBI single and designated hitter Austin Rieman capped things off on a two-RBI double as the offense led the team to its first win of the year by 10-run rule.

The third baseman Plant was exceptional at the plate and finished 4-4 with two RBI and four runs scored. His average is now up to .321 on the year.

Rieman, Bradley, Candeleria and Poupore all finished with a multi-RBI day.

Lovelady went the distance for the Spartans to get his third win. He tossed seven innings and allowed five hits, but just one run with four strikeouts.

The Spartans have now won six straight as both Poupore and shortstop Tim Hergert extended their hit streaks to 10 games.

Missouri Baptist will be back at it on Saturday with a doubleheader to close things out against the Pirates. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.