FAYETTE, Mo. – No. 6 Missouri Baptist University baseball defeated Central Methodist University in a four-game series, three games to one, after dropping the opener in Fayette, Mo., on Friday.
 
The Spartans strengthened their lead in the Heart of America Athletic Conference standings, sitting first with a .917 winning percentage at 22-2 in conference play. They additionally improved to 35-6 overall (.854).
 
Game 1: MBU 4, CMU 12
The Eagles struck first on a leadoff home run by Malzahn in the opening inning, but MBU answered in the second when Max Shabestari tied the game with a solo shot to left.
 
The Spartans briefly grabbed momentum in the third. Carlos Hidalgo delivered an RBI single to plate Sam Paule and give Missouri Baptist a 2-1 lead. The advantage was short-lived, however, as Central Methodist evened the score in the bottom half on an RBI groundout by Gavin Whitehurst.
 
The game turned decisively in the fourth inning. Whitehurst drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Malzahn launched a three-run homer to center, putting Central Methodist in front for good. Karlo Aguirre followed later in the inning with a two-run blast, capping a six-run frame that made it 8-2.
 
MBU showed some life with solo home runs from Jayden Orozco in the fifth and Hidalgo in the seventh, but Central Methodist continued to add on. A three-run sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Dariel Rios and RBI singles from Aguirre and Joshua Smith, stretched the lead to 12-3.
 
Hidalgo paced Missouri Baptist offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Shabestari also had a strong game at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a homer, while Angelo Franco and Marcus Graham each added two hits.
 
Teague Robertson (5-3) took the loss after allowing eight runs over 3.2 innings. Austin Szverra came in out of the bullpen and surrendered four earned runs while picking up a pair of strikeouts.

Winning Pitcher: Westin Walls (4-2)
Losing Pitcher: Teague Robertson (5-3)
Save: Nicholas Neighbors (3)
 
Batting Leaders
Carlos Hidalgo: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Jayden Orozco: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
Max Shabestari: 2-for-4, HR, RBI
 
Game 2: MBU 17, CMU 13
CMU jumped out to a commanding early lead, plating five runs in the first inning. Rios highlighted the frame with a three-run homer, while Landon McKillip added an RBI single and later stole second as a run scored to make it 5-0.
 
MBU answered in the third inning with a power surge. Kai Gray opened the scoring with a solo home run before Orozco launched a three-run shot to pull the Spartans within one at 5-4. Central Methodist briefly pushed the lead to 6-4 on a solo homer from Karlo Aguirre in the bottom half.
 
The Spartans continued to swing the bats in the fourth and fifth innings. Paule and Hidalgo hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth to tie the game at 6-6. In the fifth, Matis Crouwel added another solo shot before Missouri Baptist broke the game open with a six-run inning. RBI hits from Nick Beech and Shabestari fueled the outburst, giving MBU a 12-6 advantage.
 
Missouri Baptist kept the momentum rolling in the sixth as Gray homered for the second time and Orozco crushed his second three-run blast of the day, extending the lead to 16-6.
 
Central Methodist mounted a furious comeback attempt in the seventh, scoring six runs with the help of five walks and a pair of RBI groundouts, cutting the deficit to 17-13. However, Zach Peters entered to record the final out and secure his seventh save of the season.
 
Orozco powered the Spartans' offense, finishing with six RBI on two home runs. Gray added three hits and two home runs, while Paule went 4-for-4 with three runs scored. Hidalgo also scored four times and contributed a home run, and Beech chipped in three hits.
 
On the mound, JD Whitter (1-0) earned the win in relief, tossing three innings.
 
Winning Pitcher: JD Whitter (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Vince Ray (4-2)
Save: Zach Peters (7)
 
Batting Leaders
Jayden Orozco: 2-for-6, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Kai Gray: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB
Sam Paule: 4-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
 
Game 3: MBU 11, CMU 9
For the third consecutive game, CMU struck first on a three-run second inning, using a string of RBI plays from McKillip, Dawson Foster, and Jordan Vazquez to take control. The Eagles extended the lead to 3-0 before MBU responded.
 
The Spartans answered with a decisive third inning, plating six runs to flip the game. Hidalgo ignited the rally with a two-run home run to center, and MBU capitalized on a wild pitch and productive outs to tie the game. Kai Gray delivered the big blow with a two-run single, giving the Spartans a 6-3 advantage.
 
Missouri Baptist added three more runs in the fourth, aided by Central Methodist errors, stretching the lead to 9-3.
 
CMU refused to go away, rallying for five runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 9-8, highlighted by a two-run single from McKillip and an RBI hit from Foster. The Eagles tied it in the sixth on an RBI single from Jack Prewett, making it 9-9.
 
The Spartans regained control in the seventh. Orozco lined an RBI double down the left-field line to score Hidalgo, and Beech followed with an RBI single to provide the eventual winning margin.
 
Hidalgo led Missouri Baptist offensively, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and two walks. Orozco added two hits, three runs scored, and the go-ahead RBI.
 
Zach Peters (3-0) earned the win in relief, tossing two innings and allowing one run while striking out two.

Winning Pitcher: Zach Peters (3-0)
Losing Pitcher: Alexander Gryckiewicz (3-2)
 
Batting Leaders
Carlos Hidalgo: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Kai Gray: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Jayden Orozco: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 3 R, SB, BB
 
Game 4: MBU 3, CMU 1
The Spartans wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Angelo Franco delivered an RBI single, and Griffin Brown followed by drawing a bases-loaded walk to give Missouri Baptist a 2-0 lead.
 
MBU added what proved to be a key insurance run in the third inning when Nick Beech launched a solo home run to left, extending the advantage to 3-0.
 
Central Methodist broke through in the bottom half of the third on an RBI double by Malzahn, but that would be the Eagles' only run of the game.
 
Timmerman (5-2) took control from there, turning in a complete-game performance. The right-hander allowed just four hits and one run over seven innings while striking out eight and walking three.
 
At the plate, Beech led the Spartans with a 2-for-4 outing that included a home run and a double. Franco also added two hits and an RBI, while Graham chipped in a pair of hits.

Winning Pitcher: Tyler Timmerman (5-2)
Losing Pitcher: Nicholas Neighbours (0-1)
 
Batting Leaders
Nick Beech: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, RBI
Angelo Franco: 2-for-4, RBI

Records:
No. 6 Missouri Baptist: 35-6, 22-2 Heart
Central Methodist: 24-19, 13-11
 
What's Next?
The Spartans travel to Canton, Mo., for a single midweek contest at Culver-Stockton College on Tuesday, April 21. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m. Read Full Article