JAMESTOWN, N.D. – [GAME 1 BOX] [GAME 2 BOX] [OPENING ROUND SCHEDULE] Missouri Baptist refused to go quietly into the night… After suffering a crushing 5-4, walk-off loss to No. 9-ranked Sterling just 24 hours prior, the Spartans put together one of the most impressive offensive displays of any team in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The Spartans pounded-out 22 runs over the course of two games on Thursday and staved-off elimination twice in 15-8 and 7-2 wins over Jamestown (N.D.) and Sterling (Kan.). With the wins, the Spartans have guaranteed themselves a spot in Friday's if-necessary Championship Game.

Missouri Baptist (45-14) left little doubt in anyone that it had the ability to win its way to the Avista-NAIA World Series through the loser's bracket after two dominant performances.

In game one, Patrick Boyle took to the hill and was on his game early as Missouri Baptist gave him an early lead to work with. The Spartans built a 5-1 lead, but a disastrous fifth inning allowed the Jamestown Jimmies back into the game. The Spartans surrendered an error early, which gave the host team an extra out to work with. It was that out that made the difference as four runs came across to tie the game at 5-5.

Missouri Baptist fired right back in the bottom of the sixth. The home team on the scoreboard plated four runs of its own in the sixth to regain the lead for good. The Spartans tacked-on two in the seventh and four more in the eighth, and eliminated the hometown favorite in the process.

Culver Plant went 5-6 in the game and was a home run short of the cycle. Jared Hagley got the start in left and also made his mark with a three-run home run in the eighth. That home run was perhaps the hardest ball Hagley has hit in his career, as it left the park as quickly as it came to the plate.

The win advanced the Spartans to their second elimination game of the day, this time against the dangerous Sterling College squad. Sterling, as a team, entered the game hitting .359 and leads the NAIA in that category. Missouri Baptist's pitching, however, kept the dangerous Warriors in check the entire game.

Donnie Lovelady got the nod on the hill and pitched brilliantly through four and a third innings before Austin Sweet came to the hill. The senior righty was nearly unhittable and allowed just two hits and one walk in four and two-thirds of an inning as he finished the game for the Spartans. Sweet tossed 67 pitches in his sixth win of the season.

Missouri Baptist grabbed the early lead in the second as the Warriors loaded the bases for Culver Plant. The junior third baseman drew a walk, which scored Tyler Greminger, and made it a 2-1 lead for the Spartans.

Missouri Baptist broke it open in the third as Angel Cruz doubled to lead-off the inning. The Spartan cleanup hitter went 3-5 in the game with two doubles.

Cruz came around to score just moments later as Tyler Greminger came to the plate. The left fielder singled to right, which scored Cruz, and extended the lead to 3-1.

The Spartans scored two more with the help of a wild throw by pitcher Oscar Sandoval to make it 5-1.

The Spartans recorded another run in the sixth and a home run from Brian Poupore in the ninth to secure its third win of the Opening Round.

Missouri Baptist was put in position to win, and to save its bullpen by the performance of two big pieces of the bullpen. In game one, Jake Triulzi tossed four and a third innings in relief of Boyle, to secure the win. Triulzi recorded 78 pitches in the game in what is his longest outing of his career.

Austin Sweet did a similar feat in the second game as the Spartans will now advance to play for a chance to earn a spot at the 2016 Avista-NAIA National Championship.

Over the course of the two games on Thursday, Missouri Baptist combined for 29 hits and 22 runs in 18 innings.

Perhaps the most telling statistic was how the Spartans hit with two outs in the inning. Missouri Baptist finished the day hitting .407 as a team with two outs in the inning and held opponents to less than .240. Tim Hergert was a perfect 2-2 with two outs on the board.

Angel Cruz was also red hot in both games. The right fielder went 7-10 at the plate on the day.

Missouri Baptist will take-on Sterling one more time on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Jack Brown Stadium.