ST. LOUIS—Missouri Baptist Baseball (21-11) got off to a slow start on Wednesday against Harris-Stowe (16-20, 9-9 AMC) but rallied to take both games of a doubleheader and improve to 13-8 in AMC play. The Spartans will have a day off Thursday and return to action with a doubleheader against College of the Ozarks on Friday.
 
Missouri Baptist 5, Harris-Stowe 4
 
After knocking the Spartans off 18-13 in their last meeting back in mid-March, Harris-Stowe seemed to pick up where they left off with a strong first inning on Wednesday. Despite a stiff wind blowing in from left field, DeShawn Cole hit a two-run homer off Gary Watkins before an out was recorded. Caleb Hill then doubled in two more runs and HSSU departed the opening frame with a 4-0 lead.
 
MBU had trouble getting things going against Hornets' starter Tyler Cox early but the bats woke up in the third inning. Gabriel Castillo led off with a walk and, with one out, the top of the order went to work. Caleb Dean singled, Drew Brooks doubled into the right field corner to score one, and DeShawn Lookout tripled off the wall in right center to make it 4-3. Mason Washington then tied the game with a sac fly to left.
 
Hayden Crowe relieved Watkins in the second inning and delivered six brilliant innings to keep the Stowe offense in check. The senior did not allow run on four hits. Crowe struck out seven and didn't walk anyone either.
 
With Crowe in command, the offense managed just enough to earn their reliever a win. In the bottom of the fifth, Dean and Brooks put together back to back singles to start the inning. Lookout moved the runners up to second and third with a deep fly ball and Washington came through with another sac fly, scoring Dean and giving the Spartans their first lead at 5-4. Crowe then rolled through two more perfect innings to close it out the seven-inning contest.
 
Missouri Baptist 13, Harris-Stowe 2
 
Harris-Stowe scored first again in game two but their lead wouldn't last long. The Spartans scored two in the first inning, five in the second, and four more in the third. Hornets' starter Michael Washington lasted just 1 and 1/3 and his successor, Jamie Roustio, was only able to get the last two outs of the second inning before also being pulled.
 
Though their pitching was nothing special, the Harris-Stowe defense didn't do their starter or bullpen any favors. The Hornets made six errors, including two crucial mistakes in the Spartans' five-run second frame. Brooks and Washington each contributed RBI doubles while Lookout and Anthony Enwiya brought runs across on base hits.
 
It was 7-1 in the third when Nick Politte connected for the biggest hit of the day. After Dean and Brooks singled, the Hornets decided to intentionally walk Lookout and load the bases for Politte. On an 0-2 count, the sophomore launched a line drive that carried over the fence in left center for a grand slam. It was the first career home run for Politte and it broke the game wide open at 11-1.
 
On the other side of the rubber, Trevor Chaney made his first career start and tossed a dominant six innings for MBU. The senior conceded two runs on five hits to earn his first collegiate win. With the Spartans ahead 13-2, Anferney Hoeve came on in the seventh and closed it out via the 10-run rule.
 
Mo. Bap scored its 13 runs on 12 hits, led by two-hit games from Brooks, Washington, Lookout, and Enwiya. The top three in the batting order (Dean, Brooks, and Lookout) finished the doubleheader a combined 11-19, scoring 12 of the Spartans' 18 runs.