OLATHE, Kan. – No. 8 Missouri Baptist University baseball finished a four-game sweep at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan., on Saturday afternoon.

The Spartans ended the series with 68 runs scored, winning Saturday's first game 6-3 and second game 26-8.

Game One Recap
Missouri Baptist broke through in the second inning when Max Shabestari launched a two-run home run to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. The advantage grew in the third as Griffin Brown scored on a wild pitch before Shabestari delivered an RBI single to make it 4-0.

The Spartans added two more runs in the fourth inning. Sam Paule doubled to put a pair in scoring position before Hidalgo singled through the infield to drive in both runners and extend the lead to 6-0.

MidAmerica Nazarene answered in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run and trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the fifth on an RBI single from Ronnie Rowley and a sacrifice fly by Riggs Harper.

That would be as close as the Pioneers would get.

Robertson worked into the seventh inning, allowing three runs—two earned—while striking out multiple batters to earn the win. JD Whitter closed out the game with a scoreless seventh inning to secure the victory.

Winning Pitcher: Tait Robertson (4-1)
Losing Pitcher: Brailyn Cruz (0-3)
Save: JD Whitter (1)
 
Batting Leaders:
Max Shabestari: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, SB
Carlos Hidalgo: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, HBP
Sam Paule: 2-for-4, 2B, R
 
Game Two Recap
Missouri Baptist wasted no time getting on the board, scoring twice in the first inning without recording a hit. The Spartans used three walks, a fielder's choice, and a wild pitch to take a 2-0 lead.

The offense exploded in the second. Brown and Jayden Orozco each drove in runs with singles before Max Shabestari delivered a two-run double. Additional runs scored on a passed ball and an error as Missouri Baptist pushed the lead to 7-1.

The Spartans added another run in the third on an RBI double from Nick Beech before breaking the game open in the fourth. Brown highlighted the inning with a two-run home run, part of a five-run frame that extended the advantage to 13-2.

Missouri Baptist continued to pour it on in the fifth, scoring six more runs. Sam Paule launched a three-run home run, while Angelo Franco added a sacrifice fly and Matis Crouwel contributed an RBI single.

After MidAmerica Nazarene University answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Spartans tacked on three in the sixth and three more in the seventh. Jayden Jones capped the scoring with a three-run homer in the final inning.

Tyler Timmerman picked up the win to improve to 2-2 this season. He tossed 4.2 innings with six runs (four earned), two walks, and four strikeouts. Haldon Craig, Keke Romero, and Quentin Graves combined for 2.1 scoreless frames and five strikeouts.

Winning Pitcher: Tyler Timmerman (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: Aidan Kent (0-1)
 
Batting Leaders:
Max Shabestari: 1-for-4, 2B, 4 RBI, HBP, 2 BB
Sam Paule: 3-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Griffin Brown: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 6 R, BB, 2 HBP
 
Record:
No. 8 Missouri Baptist: 18-4, 8-0 Heart
MidAmerica Nazarene: 9-18, 2-6 Heart
 
What's Next?
The Spartans welcome Culver-Stockton College on Tuesday, March 24, for a doubleheader at Spartan Baseball Field. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
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