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Box Score 2 ST. LOUIS – [GAME 1 BOX] [GAME 2 BOX] Chad Ramsey can hit the long ball. The Spartan third baseball put two out of the park in game one against Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Friday en-route to a 7-5 win in extra innings and a 5-3 win in the doubleheader finale in Henderson, Tenn.
Missouri Baptist (22-10, 14-5 AMC) put together two solid efforts on the day and collected two more critical wins in American Midwest Conference play as the regular season reaches its final month.
Ramsey was responsible for six of the seven runs in game one as the junior powered the visiting Spartans to a big win in 12 innings. Ramsey hit a grand slam in the second inning to put the team from St. Louis up 4-0.
The Lions rallied, however, and tied the game at 4-4 on the back of consecutive two-run innings. Both teams traded runs in the seventh setting-up a wild finish in Henderson.
With Culver Plant standing at second with one away in the 12th inning, Ramsey hit his second round-tripper of the game on a 3-1 pitch to give the Spartans the lead for good.
Mike Syrett got the start in the game and allowed just three earned runs before the Spartan bullpen provided another brilliant display. Mailik Jones walked two, but struck-out three in the sixth.
Nick Vichio tossed one bad pitch in the game that nearly tilted the game in the Lions' favor. The Spartan closer threw a wild pitch which allowed a run to score, and tied the game. The hard-throwing right hander, however, bared-down and got a fielder's choice and a strikeout to end the threat.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Vichio in the eighth, it was Nick Hynes to enter and he stole the show. The senior allowed four hits and struck-out four in the final four innings to give the Spartans a chance to win it. Coach Eddie Uschold went back to Hynes in the 12th to finish it off. It was his fourth win of the season and eighth outing (in 10 appearances) to not allow an earned run.
Freed-Hardeman jumped on Missouri Baptist early in game two, thanks to a three-run first inning. The Spartans, however, responded to tie the game in the second.
Nate Green and John Hagan stole a base and scored in the top of the second thanks to a two-RBI single from Austin Rieman to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Rieman advanced to second on the throw and, thanks to a wild pitch from Brandon Guske, found himself at third base with one out.
Tommy Nawa tied it moments later. The Spartan backstop grounded-out to second, which scored the tying run, and put his team back in business. This RBI was not the lone one of the night for Nawa.
In the fourth, the Texan stepped to the plate once again, and with runners at first and second, singled to right field to score John Hagan. This run stood as the game winner in the seven-inning affair.
Despite a first inning hiccup, Pat Boyle was dynamic on the mound. The senior went the distance and allowed three runs on seven hits and fanned 11 batters in the game.
With the pair of wins, the Spartans secured their fourth series win in a row and will have a chance at the series sweep on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
