Box Score ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist needed late-inning run support and shut-down pitching in the final two innings to exit Marshall, Mo., with its 19th consecutive win on Tuesday. The Spartans posted seven unanswered runs in the final two innings to grab a 15-9 win on the road over Missouri Valley College.
Missouri Baptist (30-6, 14-1 AMC) trailed heading into the eighth, but thanks to a big, two-inning performance by reliever Austin Sweet, the Spartans got their chance to take the win. Sweet, the fifth pitcher in the game for MBU allowed zero hits and struck out three as he pitched to the minimum, six batters.
The Spartans posted three in the top of the first with four consecutive hits at the top of the order. Brian Poupore provided the second double of the game, which scored Tim Hergert and Culver Plant, and gave his team a 2-0 lead. Austin Rieman followed with a sacrifice fly, and gave his team a three-run lead heading into the bottom half.
It was a back-and-forth game as Missouri Valley cut the deficit to one and chased Spartan starter Pat Boyle from the game in the opening frame. Boyle allowed five walks in 0.2 innings as Coach Eddie Uschold went to the bullpen early. Drew Montero entered and got the final out of the inning and left runners stranded at second and third.
Missouri Baptist's Josh Miguel walked to lead-off the second, a mistake that bit the Vikings. The Spartan second baseman stole second and came around to score on a Brian Poupore single, and extended the lead to 4-2. Poupore finished with a career-high eight RBI in the game.
Missouri Valley tied the game in the bottom of the second. Second Baseman Austin Hulbert homered to lead-off the inning, and after consecutive strikeouts, the Vikings threatened again. Turner Herbek knocked-in an RBI single to the right side and evened the game at four.
Both teams traded runs in the fourth to make it 5-5 before Missouri Valley gained the lead in the fifth inning. The Vikings' Logan Faber retired the first three batters in the top-half and took a lead in the bottom on a Jeremy Shull RBI single to give the home team its first lead of the game.
The teams continued to trade shots until the eighth, when the Spartans went to the bullpen for the final time. As Sweet made quick work of the Viking offense, the Missouri Baptist bats went to work.
With two outs and runners at second and third, Mike Levar pinch hit for Hector Candelaria and delivered a two RBI single, which ended as the game winning runs.
The Spartans plated five insurance runs in the ninth and completed their 19th consecutive win of 2016.
Adding to an already impressive season was Brian Poupore. The senior center fielder went 4-6 with eight RBI. His four hit day bumped his batting average up over .400 once again. He is now hitting .405 on the year.
Tim Hergert, Culver Plant and Tyler Greminger all finished with multi-hit games.
Earlier in the day, Plant was named the NAIA Baseball Player of the Week, thanks to a four game stretch last week where he hit .625 and slugged 1.000 with 10 RBI.
The Spartans will remain on the road this coming weekend when the team will go for its 20th consecutive win as they travel to Lyon (Ark.) First pitch in a Friday doubleheader is set for 1:00 p.m. in Batesville, Ark.
