RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Missouri Baptist University football staved off a valiant comeback effort on Saturday afternoon to knock off NCAA Division III University of Wisconsin River Falls at Smith Stadium, 38-28. The Spartans avenged last year's 30-3 loss to UWRF and registered their first win of the season. MBU improves to 1-3 on the year, while the Falcons fall to 1-2.
 
While the Spartan defense had received much of the fanfare in the first three games of the season, it was the offense that set the tone today. In Saturday's game alone, Missouri Baptist produced more offensive touchdowns (4) than in the first three combined.
 
Newcomer Chris Baldwin continues to prove that he can shoulder a large chunk of carries and be a bell cow running back for the Spartans. Baldwin accounted for two touchdowns and finished with 194 net yards of rushing on 31 carries.
 
A 3-and-out for Wisconsin River Falls followed by a 44-yard punt return by Chris Grimes helped set up MBU's first points of the day. The Spartans struck first with a 29-yard Ethan Metzler field goal.
 
Despite a UWRF touchdown on the following drive, the Falcons' lead was short-lived as Missouri Baptist answered back quickly. In his first career start, freshman signal-caller Lucas Rockford dialed up an 11-yard TD pass to standout wide receiver Isaiah King and just like that, the Spartans were ahead, 7-3.
 
Junior running back Chris Baldwin extended MBU's lead to 17-7 with his second rushing touchdown of the year. During the second quarter, Rockford had to head to the sideline for an undisclosed injury. With the touchdown train moving at full speed, senior Gunnar Griffin stepped right in for Rockford without a hitch and capped off a 5-play, 98-yard drive with a 60-yard TD pass to none other than Isaiah King.
 
With a 24-7 advantage, the Falcons came soaring back with a pair of long offensive drives and an impressive 89-yard yard drive as the time was winding down at the end of the second quarter. At the break, Missouri Baptist was ahead by a slim margin, 24-20.
 
The third quarter was relatively quiet compared to the first half right up until Zack Kern snagged an errant Kole Hinrichsen pass and took it to the house for a 29-yard pick-six. Kern's interception represents the Spartans' first defensive touchdown of the year.
 
In similar fashion to the first half, the Falcons turned to their rushing attack and were not about to back down. UWRF running back Sam Altena punched one in from 16 yards out and a successful two-point conversion put Wisconsin River Falls within a field goal with an entire quarter remaining.
 
Four possessions later, the Spartans started a crucial drive at their own 15-yard line and executed at the opportune moments. On 3^rd and 7, Dominic Demerath drew a 15-yard pass interference call to extend the drive. Gunnar Griffin found tight end target Anthony Taele for a 19-yard pass, and on a 2^nd and 10 from the UWRF 32, Chris Baldwin scurried for a 27-yard running play. With 1^st and Goal from the 5, it took the Spartans all four plays to get into the endzone, but Baldwin found a hole on 4^th down and gave MBU a 38-28 lead with 40 seconds remaining.
 
On the final play of the game, freshman safety Eric Taylor intercepted a Hail Mary play and returned it 44 yards for his first career interception.
 
Defensively, Jaylen Cowley recorded an impressive stat line of 13 tackles, three pass breakups and one tackle for loss. Other notable stats for the Spartans included Lucas Rockford, who went 7-for-11 and 108 yards passing with 49 yards on the ground on six attempts, Isaiah King (4 rec., 115 yards, 2 TD), Anthony Taele (3 rec., 61 yards), Dominic Demerath (3 rec., 40 yards) and Gunnar Griffin (7-for-17, 133 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT).