JOPLIN, MO.—Due to poor weather early in the day, the first pitch of the highly anticipated AMC Tournament game between Missouri Baptist (29-17) and Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (38-14) was delayed until 11:10 PM on Thursday night. The final pitch was thrown just under three hours later as the Lions came away with the 5-4 victory over the Spartans at 2:07 AM on Friday morning.
 
After multiple changes to the scheduled starting time, the two-seeded Lions jumped on Spartan starter Austin Schiber in the first inning, tagging the senior for four runs. Schiber eventually found his rhythm and recorded back to back strikeouts to end the inning but the damage would prove too difficult to overcome.
 
Bryan Morales came on in relief in the fourth and delivered three shutout innings to keep the Spartans in the game. Hayden Crowe and Gary Watkins followed suit and held the Lions off the board in the final two innings.
 
The offense had its hands full with Freed starter Jacob Sawyers. The sophomore struck out 12 in 6.2 innings. Sawyers finally seemed to run out of gas in the seventh when Gabriel Castillo launched a double off the left-center field wall to score two runs.
 
Things got even more interesting in the eighth. Drew Brooks drew a leadoff walk and Tyler Schmidt followed with an opposite field two-run homer over the left field fence. The comeback would fall short, however, as the Lions turned to closer Beau Cavniness. The senior recorded the final six outs to preserve the 5-4 victory.

"It was an outstanding pitching performance by their starter," said Head Coach Eddie Uschold. "We were able to make some things happen in the seventh and eighth. Just came up one run short. Bryan Morales did a great job giving us a chance." 
 
Missouri Baptist will now face Columbia College in an elimination game on Friday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm at the Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Mo. A victory would match up the Spartans with the winner of William Woods and Lindenwood-Belleville at 7 pm. The full schedule and bracket can be found here.