SAINT LOUIS – Behind a two-homer game from Blayne Yarger and a hodge podge of hurlers the Missouri Baptist University Baseball team won their ninth straight game on Wednesday, 15-10 over Mission University (Mo.).
 
The home squad sent no less than nine pitchers to the bump, with only one throwing more than an inning. As this was a mid-week, single game, the Spartans wanted to be careful not to exhaust any available options for an important three-game series with Columbia College (Mo.) starting on Friday. MBU had four of their nine pitchers make it through their work without giving up a run.
 
Meanwhile the bats, and in particular the one used by Yarger, made sure to keep the Patriots at a comfortable distance, as they never let the deficit get closer than five after the second inning.
 
Yarger doubled and scored in the first inning, but it was catcher Jakob Kouneski that delivered the telling shot. With one out he launched his ninth home run of the season, a three-run blast, to jump-start the potent MBU offense.
 
The Spartans added to the lead in the second when Yarger launched his first of two three-run homers he would have in the game. Later in the inning Jayden Orozco drove home two runs on a fielder's choice and an error with the bases loaded. MBU led 9-0 after two innings and it appeared the game would be quite lopsided. Instead, the Patriots struck for three runs in the top of the third to make the score 9-3.
 
MBU added to the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two home runs. Orozco hit a solo home run for this eleventh of the season, then Yarger hit another three-run homer to give the Spartans a ten-run advantage. But instead of folding up the tents, Mission once again answered this time with a grand slam to inch back to 13-7.
 
After the Patriots got a run in the top of the seventh to make the score 13-8, the Spartans struck for two more in the bottom half of the inning. Cole Robinson had an RBI single to score Yarger, then Cameron Roll did the same for Robinson.
 
The Patriots scored two in the top of the eighth but that is as close as they could get, as the Spartans prevailed 15-10.
 
Making his season debut, Austin Szverra pitched the fourth inning and gave up a hit while striking out three. He was awarded the win for his efforts, obviously his first of the season.
 
Yarger was four for five at the plate with two home runs, a double, four runs scored, and six RBIs. He leads the team in home runs (21) and RBIs (62). He came in to pitch a scoreless ninth inning with one hit and a strikeout. Robinson had three hits with three runs scored and an RBI.
 
Wednesday's game was a non-conference matchup, but it won't be for long. Mission, formerly Baptist Bible College, has been admitted into the American Midwest Conference and will begin competing in the 2024-25 academic year.  The two teams matched up in Ozark, Mo. last Tuesday with MBU prevailing 18-9.
 
Next up for MBU is a pivotal matchup with Columbia beginning Friday at 2:00 p.m. at Spartan Baseball Field. The winner of the three-game series that continues with a doubleheader on Saturday will likely win the AMC Regular Season title and get the top-seed in the upcoming AMC Baseball Championship Tournament.