Box Score HENDERSON, Tenn. – [BOX SCORE] At 11:59 p.m. on Saturday night, Missouri Baptist secured the win in its third elimination game of the 2017 American Midwest Conference Championship. The Spartans, led by a two-run, five inning performance from Anthony Cosme, defeated the hometown Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) Lions 10-5 to earn a trip to the semifinals.
Missouri Baptist (40-13) notched its 40th win of the year as Coach Eddie Uschold posted his 700th win at the helm of the Spartans. For Uschold, it was also his 716th career victory.
The Spartans jumped-out to a three-run lead, thanks in large part to a double by Austin Rieman to lead-off the second inning. The Spartan first baseman clanged a double off second base, which caromed into the outfield, and put the first runner aboard in the game.
John Hagan followed with a single before Miles Fore sent an RBI double down the right field line to extend the lead to 2-1.
Aaron Collazo pushed the third run across just moments later. The Spartan leadoff man reached on a fielder's choice, and due to a throwing error by T.J. Webb, Fore crossed the plate on the play, to make it 3-0.
Aden Campbell cut the lead to one in the bottom of the third. The first baseman crushed a home run to left field, scoring Chase Young, and made it 3-2. This, however, was the closest as the Lions would get.
In the fifth, Missouri Baptist put together its best inning of the Championship thus far. The Spartans, after collecting consecutive walks from Drew Kitson and Austin Rieman, took advantage of two Lion errors to plate six runs, five of which were earned.
The Spartans sent 12 runners to the plate in the inning as they pushed their way back into the thick of it in the Championship. John Hagan led the team with three hits in the contest.
Anthony Cosme improved to 3-0 on the year after his five innings of work. Miguel Ruiz, Aaron Pangilinan, Brett Mann, Brandon Nunn and Robby Brewster all pitched in relief to help seal the victory.
With the win, the Spartans will advance to play William Woods (Mo.) in yet another elimination game. The Owls lost to Lyon (Ark.) earlier in the day, which sent them to the elimination bracket. The winner of Monday's game will play later in the day against Lyon (Ark). Game time against the Owls is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Carnes Field.
