ST. LOUIS – As will likely be the case for much of the Missouri Baptist Spartans baseball schedule, MBU saw the best an opposing pitching staff could offer. In both cases on Friday, inconsistent offense didn't allow them to overcome it. The Spartans dropped a 6-5 decision in eight innings to Clarke University, then followed that up with a 14-5 loss to (RV) Doane University.
 
GAME ONE: Clarke 6, MBU 5 (Eight Innings)
Clarke University starter Dante Maietta was tough to crack in the first game of the day. It took until the third inning before MBU was able to collect their first hit and their first run against the hurler who entered the game with a 2-0 record and a 2.50 ERA. Meanwhile, Spartan starter Teague Robertson was practically matching him pitch for pitch by going six strong innings.
 
The Pride took the lead in the third inning. The ninth man in the order was hit by a pitch and later came around to score on an RBI single. The Spartans quickly flipped the script though by plating a couple of runs when Jakob Kouneski and Cameron Roll both singled, then came home on an error hit by Kyle Bermudez. The shortstop misplayed the ball to let the first run score, then was misplayed by the left fielder to allow Roll to come home too.
 
The Spartans would hold the 2-1 lead until the top of the seventh when things broke open. Anthony Caldwell came on in relief of Robertson to start the inning, He walked the first batter he faced then induced a ground ball that looked like a rally-killing double play, but it was misplayed by the Spartans middle infield, resulting in both runners being safe. Caldwell got the next batter to line out for the first out of the inning, but unfortunately gave up a single to tie the game. He followed that up with back-to-back hit batsmen, with the second forcing home the lead run for the Pride. Skout Rallo was summoned from the bullpen but allowed another two runs to score via an error and a single. What looked like a 2-1 victory for the Spartans had turned into a 5-2 deficit heading to their last at bat.
 
The Spartans were up to the challenge. Thankfully, Maietta was pulled in the save situation and MBU took advantage of the opportunity. They greeted the Pride reliever with singles from Cesar Soto, Blane Besse, and Blayne Yarger before Alex Adams came through with a two-run double to cut the deficit to 5-4. Later in the inning, DJ Schmidt would hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Yarger with the tying run, forcing extra innings.
 
The Pride got a single, followed by a stolen base and a double to take the 6-5 lead they would not relinquish.
 
Maietta went six innings with just three hits and one earned run, while walking four and striking out two. Robertson was just as impressive in his six innings, surrendering three hits, an earned run, two walks and four strikeouts. Neither would figure in the decision though as Pride reliever Luke Frederick got the win and Skout Rallo suffered his first loss of the season.
 
Offensively Alex Adams was two for four with two RBIs for the Spartans. The Spartans ended with seven hits as a team.
 
GAME TWO: Doane 14, MBU 5
The Doane University Tiger offense jumped on Spartans pitching early and often in the second game of the day, scoring runs in the first four innings and five of the seven overall in a big 14-5 win over MBU.
 
The first inning made it appear those watching might be in for a slug fest, but the Spartans lost their momentum after getting on the board early.
 
The Tigers scored two runs on three hits in the first inning off Spartans starter Greg Ryun. But MBU answered with two of their own thanks to two singles, an error and a sacrifice fly.
 
Doane didn't stop there though. While MBU didn't dent the plate again for five more innings, the Tigers were busy scoring two runs in the second, three in the third, and five more in the fourth to take a commanding 12-2 lead.
 
The Spartans would get a solo home run from Kevin Watkins in the sixth inning, his first hit of the season, and a two-run homer from Alex Adams in the seventh. The home run is the third of the season for Adams. For the second game in a row, the Spartans were held to seven hits in the contest.
 
The loss was charged to Ryun who lasted just two plus innings while giving up five earned runs on six hits, four walks, a strikeout, and a hit batsman. The third reliever out of the bullpen was the season debut of Nick Sharp, who threw an effective three and a third innings with two runs on three hits and five strikeouts.
 
Blane Besse was the only Spartan with more than one hit, going two for three with a run scored.
 
With the two losses on Friday the Spartans are now 10-6 on the season.
 
The Clay Pfeiffer Memorial Tournament will continue Saturday with three games beginning at 10:00 a.m. MBU will play the same two teams as Friday, in the same order, followed by Clarke and Doane matching up around 3:00 p.m.