WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – Missouri Baptist Baseball (26-13, 14-9 AMC) led Williams Baptist (13-24, 6-17 AMC) for 14 consecutive innings in Friday's doubleheader. Unfortunately, the Eagles saved all of their offense for one long eighth inning in game two to earn a split. The Spartans won game one 9-2 and dropped the second game 9-6. Missouri Baptist and WBU will play the rubber game on Saturday with a noon first pitch.
 
Missouri Baptist 9, Williams Baptist 2 (7 innings)
 
The Spartans took the lead in the first inning of game one with an RBI single by Michael McGhee. They added on three more in the third. A single by DeShawn Lookout and a double by Domonique Hernandez accounted for two of the three runs driven in.
 
Hernandez was at it again in the fifth with another RBI double. This time it was Greg Greene who came across to make it 5-0. A single by Hunter Hill in the sixth added another one to the board, scoring Drew Brooks from second.
 
The issue was no longer in doubt heading into the top of the seventh but that didn't stop Domonique Hernandez from putting a bow on a career-effort. After a single and walk in front of him, the senior took a 1-1 pitch and launched his second homer of the year over the left field fence. That made it 9-0 Mo. Bap. Hernandez finished game one 3-4 with 5 RBIs.
 
Williams Baptist tagged Austin Worrell for two runs in the bottom of the frame but it wasn't nearly enough. Worrell finished off the seven-inning complete game and improved to 6-1. The redshirt freshman struck out eight and allowed just six hits.
 
Missouri Baptist 6, Williams Baptist 9
 
The Spartans got off to another fast start in game two. After Caleb Dean was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, Hunter Hill's first career home run made it 2-0 before an out was recorded. Hill would continue to rake with an RBI double in the third inning to make it 3-1. In the fifth, a sacrifice fly by Jonathon Pasillas and an RBI single by Drew Brooks pushed the Spartans to a 5-1 advantage.
 
Josh Ray, the reigning NAIA National Pitcher of the Week, pitched well for five innings before turning it over to the bullpen. Ray allowed one earned run on six hits and struck out six.
 
The visitors still led 6-1 after seven but that's about where the wheels fell off for MBU. A leadoff walk followed by a two-run homer by WBU's Jacob Brown made it 6-3. From that point forward, a double, two singles, two walks, an error, and a hit by pitch led to six more runs for the Eagles. After being in control all day, the Spartans now trailed by three with one inning to play.
 
They would then go quietly in the ninth. Jonathon Pasillas drew a one-out walk but nothing came of it. Williams Baptist earned the split with a 9-6 victory.
 
Hunter Hill and Drew Brooks led the offense in game two, each finishing with three hits. Hill drove in three and scored two runs himself.