MBU Athletics

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – Second-seeded Missouri Baptist University baseball opened Tuesday with an elimination game win in the NAIA Opening Round over fifth-seeded Central Baptist College (Ark.) before first-seeded University of the Cumberlands ended the Spartans' 2026 campaign.
 
Tait Robertson tossed a complete game and was backed by four RBI from Carlos Hidalgo to take down the Mustangs in the first elimination game. The Patriots received two home runs from Johnboy Rittenhouse to eliminate the Spartans from the tournament with an 8-4 loss.
 
Central Baptist Recap
MBU wasted no time getting on the board as Jayden Orozco began the game with a solo home run to left field.

The Spartans added another run in the third inning in unconventional fashion, as Kevin Watkins stole second before Carlos Hidalgo swiped home on the throw to make it 2-0.
Central Baptist scored its lone run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by George Astacio, trimming the deficit to 2-1.

Missouri Baptist pulled away in the fifth inning, plating three runs. Hidalgo delivered a two-run home run down the right-field line, and Max Shabestari added an RBI single to extend the lead to 5-1.

The Spartans continued to add on in the sixth and seventh innings. Hidalgo drove in another run with an RBI single in the sixth before Shabestari launched a two-run home run in the seventh. A bases-loaded walk later in the inning pushed the lead to 9-1.

Robertson (6-2) was in control throughout, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on eight hits and striking out five.

Winning Pitcher: Tait Robertson (6-2)
Losing Pitcher: Jaxon Kirkhuff (5-4)
 
Batting Leaders:
Carlos Hidalgo: 4-for-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
Max Shabestari: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, R
Jayden Orozco: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
Griffin Brown: 2-for-5, R
 
Cumberlands Recap
MBU struck first with two runs in the second inning, taking advantage of a defensive miscue. Carlos Hidalgo reached on an error to bring in a run, and Kai Gray later stole home to make it 2-0.

The Spartans added another run in the third inning when Angelo Franco delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Cumberlands got on the board in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly before breaking through in the fifth. Ronald Almanzar tied the game with a two-run double, and Rittenhouse followed with a two-run home run to give the Patriots a 5-3 lead.

Rittenhouse added a solo home run in the seventh inning, and Cumberlands extended the lead further in the eighth with a two-run single from Almanzar to make it 8-3.
Missouri Baptist plated its final run in the eighth inning on a wild pitch, but could not mount a comeback.

Justin Cortez (5-0) earned the win in relief for Cumberlands, striking out seven over 4 2/3 innings. Tyler Timmerman (5-5) took the loss for MBU.

Winning Pitcher: Justin Cortez (5-0)
Losing Pitcher: Tyler Timmerman (5-5)

Batting Leaders:
Kai Gray: 3-for-5, 2 R, SB
Max Shabestari: 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB
Carlos Hidalgo: 1-for-4, BB
Angelo Franco: 1-for-5, RBI
  Read Full Article