PARKVILLE, Mo. — No. 8 Missouri Baptist University baseball dropped the opener but responded with three straight wins to secure a Heart of America Athletic Conference series victory over Park University (Mo.) on Friday and Saturday.

Park took the first game 6-5, capitalizing on a five-run first inning to build an early cushion. The Spartans answered with a run in the first on an RBI double by Nick Beech and chipped away throughout the game, scoring once in the fourth, twice in the fifth, and once in the seventh. Griffin Brown added an RBI double, and Missouri Baptist brought the tying run to third in the final inning, but the rally fell short.

MBU bounced back in the second game with a 13-1 win behind a 16-hit performance. The Spartans broke through with a run in the second before erupting for four runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to take control.

Kai Gray went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles, while Carlos Hidalgo, Brown, and Jayden Orozco each drove in two runs. Sam Paule scored three times, and Max Shabestari added two RBIs. Gus Lucas earned the win, allowing six hits over five scoreless innings.

The Spartans clinched the series Saturday with a 3-2 victory in a tightly contested game. MBU took an early lead in the third on an RBI single from Orozco before Park answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. The score remained 2-1 until Paule tied it with a solo home run in the sixth. Orozco delivered again in the eighth with an RBI double to plate the go-ahead run.

Zach Peters picked up the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings as part of a bullpen effort that limited Park to three hits over the final four frames.

Missouri Baptist completed the series win with a 10-3 victory in the finale. The Spartans scored twice in the first inning on a home run by Orozco and an RBI triple from Shabestari. After Park briefly tied the game, Missouri Baptist regained the lead in the second and broke it open with a three-run fifth highlighted by a two-run home run from Paule.

Shabestari finished with two triples and two RBIs, while Marcus Graham added a triple and drove in a run. Nick Beech had two hits and an RBI, and the Spartans drew 10 walks in the game. Tyler Timmerman earned the win, striking out seven over four innings.

For the series, Missouri Baptist totaled 31 runs and 46 hits, recording double-digit hits in two games while holding Park to three runs or fewer in each of the final three contests.

The Spartans continue conference play at home on Wednesday, April 1, against Benedictine College at noon.