HENDERSON, Tenn. – [BOX SCORE] After a day off, Missouri Baptist showed that its offense was well rested. The Spartans posted 12 runs on 13 hits as they eliminated Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) in a 12-5 decision on Saturday in the 2017 American Midwest Conference Championship Tournament.

Missouri Baptist (39-13, 24-6 AMC) put together a hitting display on Saturday as the team capitalized on a tired Lindenwood-Belleville pitching staff. The Spartans hit four balls out of Carnes Field as they ran away with the win in the latter portions of the game.

John Hagan led the scoring for the Spartans in the first. The senior hit an RBI double to left field as Patrick Gaul lost the ball in the sun, and gave Missouri Baptist a 2-0 lead.

Lindenwood-Belleville took a lead briefly in the fifth, but could not hang-on as Mike Syrett got better as the game went along. The Spartan starter went seven and two-thirds of an inning and allowed four earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts.

Lindenwood-Belleville tied the game at two in the fourth inning as a hit batsman started the ball rolling. Alex Wittenauer reached after being hit by Syrett, and after a fielding error by Miles Fore, runners stood at first and second with no outs. Dylan Skinner came to the plate moments later and delivered the first hit of the game for his team, a two-RBI single, and tied the game at two.

The Lynx plated two more in the fifth and briefly took a 4-2 lead. This, however, was the last lead of the day for the team from Belleville, Ill. Aaron Collazo doubled to lead off the fifth and scored on a two RBI single from Austin Rieman to tie the game at 4-4.

Nate Green homered to lead-off the sixth, one of four home runs in the final three innings at the plate for the Spartans, as Missouri Baptist cruised to a big win to advance to the nightcap of action in Henderson. In addition to Green's home run, Miles Fore, Brandon Schlichtig and Kyle Keck all hit a round-tripper in the win. For Keck, it was his first of the season.

Adam Bieber got the loss for the Lynx after not recording an out in the sixth inning. He allowed two runs on two hits in the game.

Dylan Skinner tossed the seventh inning for the Lynx, just his third inning of the season, and allowed three runs, all from the long ball.

Rieman, Keck, Schlichtig and Hagan all finished with a two-hit day for Missouri Baptist.

Missouri Baptist was able to save its relievers after Syrett's outing on Saturday. Nick Hynes finished everything for the Spartans and picked-up the last four outs of the game, three of which were via the strikeout.

The Spartans will now play Tournament host Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) in the evening game. It will be the third-consecutive elimination game for the Spartans as they will try to send home a third team in the tournament. First pitch is expected close to 8:00 p.m.