STERLINGTON, La. – The Missouri Baptist Spartans won both of their games on Day 1 of the Cajun Collision, 6-2 over Southwester Assemblies of God University and a 2-1 marathon over No. 21-ranked Texan Wesleyan University, while helping Eddie Uschold to victory No. 900 of his career.
 
GAME 1: MBU 6, SAGU 2 (7 innings)
The Spartans bats were kept unusually quiet throughout the afternoon tilt with the Lions, but woke up just in the nick of time to seal the victory.
 
MBU would get on the board first in the opening inning. Blane Besse led of the game with a single but after a stolen base it appeared he would be stranded there when the next two batters were retired. When Cole Robinson sent a soft grounder to first it appeared the Spartans would come up empty in the first inning, but the Lions first baseman misplayed the ball and before he could recover Robinson was safe at first and Besse had jetted home from second base.
 
In the third, SAGU would string together three consecutive hits against MBU starter Teague Robertson and take a lead 2-1. Those would be the only three hits given up by Robertson in the game, who went six innings with just two runs with nine strikeouts and a walk.
 
MBU was held to just two hits through the first five innings, yet still only trailed 2-1 when they came to bat in the top of the sixth. Robinson would start the rally by once again reaching on an error, this time on a throw by the third baseman. He would be lifted for pinch-runner Kevin Watkins. A single by DJ Schmidt moved him up to second and a double by Cameron Roll brought him home to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The MBU offense picked up steam in the top of the seventh with three singles, then two hit batsmen, then another single plated three runs to make the score 5-2. The last run scored on a fielder's choice, making it 6-2.
 
Skout Rallo came on to pitch the seventh in a non-save situation. He gave up two hits but otherwise kept the Lions offense in check. Robertson was credited with the win, his first of the season and first as an MBU Spartan.
 
The victory also marked the 900^th in the 26-year career of head coach Eddie Uschold. He is now in his twenty-fifth season at the helm of the Missouri Baptist program
 
 
GAME 2: MBU 2, TEXAS WESLEYAN 1 (11 innings)
The second game of the day was a good old-fashioned pitcher's dual, where hits were at a premium for both teams. Seven pitchers would combine to pitch 11 innings allowing only two earned runs on nine hits. In the end, the Spartans would walk-it-off in the bottom of the eleventh inning, but as fate would have it, it wasn't with a hit.
 
In the top of the first inning, Spartans starter Greg Ryun issued a lead-off walk that eventually came around to score on a passed ball. Playing small-ball, the Rams jumped to a 1-0 after a half inning.
 
The lead lasted all of one batter in the bottom of the inning. Spartans lead off man Blane Besse hit a rocket over the right center field fence to even the game at 1-1. The home run was the second of the season for Besse.
 
At that point the pitchers for both teams locked in. Ryun would pitch five and two-thirds innings with 3 hits accounting for one run, while he walked four and struck out five. Rams starter Jose Casado would work five innings, giving up three hits and a run while walking two and striking out 12. For the second straight middle-relief outing, Brady Stephan was outstanding. The senior from O'Fallon, Mo. pitched four and a third innings with only one hit and two walks to go along with five strikeouts.
 
Blayne Yarger made his pitching debut for MBU by entering the game to start the eleventh inning. He stumbled but never fell as he walked three and struck out one but escaped unscathed in the inning.
 
Cameron Roll reached on a fielder's choice for the first out in the bottom of the eleventh, then advanced to second on a passed ball. A ground out to the right side of the infield advanced him to third and he was there with two outs. DJ Schmidt followed with a grounder to second that was booted by the second basemen, bringing Roll home from third and allowing the Spartans to walk off with a 2-1 extra inning win.
 
In all, the Spartans struck out 21 times in the game. Yarger claimed the win in his first action on the mound.
 
MBU will be back for two more games in the Cajun Collision on Friday with games against Mid-America Christian University and No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College.