By: John Kean, Sports Information Director
ROLLA, Mo. – Missed opportunities early in the game eventually came back to haunt Missouri S&T's baseball team Wednesday afternoon as it dropped a
2-1 decision in 10 innings to Fort Hays State at the S&T Baseball Field.
The Miners stranded eight runners in the first four innings and 13 for the contest, while not driving in a run all afternoon. The missed chances kept the door open for the Tigers, who gained a split in the two-game series by scoring an unearned run in the 10th inning.
S&T got its only run in the first inning, as
Brandon Cogan (Missouri City, Texas/Hightower) reached on an infield single, stole second, went to third on a ground out off the bat of
Hunter Scheib (Lawrence, Kan./Free State) and scored on a wild pitch.
The Miners would eventually load the bases in the inning, but couldn't get any more runs across after
Drew Davenport (McHenry, Ill./McHenry West) lined out to the warning track in center.
S&T starting pitcher
David Birkby (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway West) made that run hold up through the first six innings, scattering only four hits in that span and striking out a season-high six. His only mistake came in the seventh, when Kyle Stacken homered to right center to knot the score at one.
The Miners had a golden scoring opportunity in the eighth inning, getting runners to second and third with two outs, but couldn't capitalize on that chance.
Fort Hays State finally broke the tie in the top half of the 10th, as a bloop single by Chris Santoscoy with the bases loaded plated the go-ahead run.
S&T outhit the Tigers 10-7 in the game, with Cogan getting four hits on the afternoon and
Ben Pieper (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic) getting three.
Caleb Lambert (Romulus, Mich./Inter-City Baptist) took the loss for the Miners, who will return to action Friday when they host Maryville in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader starting at noon.
