Box Score

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – After letting a five-run lead slip away Wednesday afternoon, Missouri S&T's baseball team regrouped and put two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth to pull out a 9-8 victory over Lincoln University.

The Miners led 7-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but allowed Lincoln to score four times in the sixth and twice in the seventh to take an 8-7 lead.  But down to their final three outs, the Miners got their first two runners on base in the top of the ninth and pinch-hitter Kyle Rich (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) delivered a two-run single to put S&T in front.

Harry Dunsford (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) pitched around a pair of walks in the ninth to lock up the win and broke the Miners' career saves record in the process with his ninth save, while the win allowed S&T to reach the 10-win mark faster than any team in school history.  Missouri S&T's record improved to 10-3 with Wednesday's win.

S&T took the lead in the opening inning by scoring twice without the benefit of a hit.  Following a leadoff walk to Will McCord (Kingman, Ariz./Kingman HS) and a stolen base, Michael Lockett (O'Fallon, Mo./Timberland)'s bunt was thrown wild to first, allowing McCord to score.  Later in the inning, Andy Hall (Rolla, Mo./Rolla HS) hit a sacrifice fly to allow Lockett to score.

Lincoln tied the game with a pair of runs in the second after a Miner error, but the Miners regained the lead by scoring single runs in the third and fourth innings.  S&T's run in the third came after a leadoff single by McCord, a stolen base and a error that sent him to third, followed by a single by Lockett.

Eric Van Dyke (Longmont, Colo./Silver Creek) led off the fourth with a double, then was moved to third with a sacrifice bunt and scored on a hit by McCord.  An inning later, the Miners doubled their lead on a walk to Josh Caffrey (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington HS), a hit by Reed Brown (Rogers, Ark./Heritage) and a two-run single by Van Dyke.

Caffrey added an RBI single in the sixth to score Lee Voth-Gaeddert (Hesston, Kan./Hesston HS) to give the Miners their five-run lead before the Blue Tigers came to life offensively.

Lincoln got one run across on an infield out, then scored three times with two outs in the sixth to cut the lead to one, then moved in front an inning later on an RBI double by Craig Jones and a two-out single through past second by Kendall Ware.

Zack Gronek (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell) entered the game after the Ware hit and got the Miners out of the seventh, then kept the margin at one for the Miners to stage their rally in the ninth.

Lincoln pitcher John Bisges, who took over at the start of the inning, walked Hall and Caffrey to start the inning.  After Brown bunted the runners ahead, Rich put S&T on top with a hit up the middle to score both runners.

Dunsford allowed a walk with one out – recorded on a fine running catch on the track by Voth-Gaeddert -- and another with two outs, but got Andrew St. Pierre to line out to left to end the game.

Gronek picked up the win in relief to improve to 3-1, while Dunsford picked up his third save with the scoreless ninth.  Lincoln (1-15) out-hit the Miners 14-13, with McCord and Van Dyke getting three apiece for S&T.

The Miners will open Great Lakes Valley Conference play Saturday when they host Indianapolis in a noon doubleheader at the S&T Baseball Field.  S&T will also host a twinbill against Saint Joseph's Sunday at noon.