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ROLLA, Mo. – Solid pitching and defense paved the way for Missouri S&T's baseball team to open its Great Lakes Valley Conference season on a winning note Sunday, as the Miners swept a doubleheader from Saint Joseph's College by scores of 7-1 and 4-1 at the S&T Baseball Field.

Opening game starter Zack Gronek (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell) threw a six-hitter in a complete game effort to start things off for the Miners Sunday, then John Auble (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran South) held the Pumas to one hit over the first six innings in the nightcap to allow S&T to complete the sweep and improve to 12-3 on the season.

Gronek got the only run he would need in the opener in the second inning, as Andy Hall (Rolla, Mo./Rolla HS) drew a leadoff walk and Josh Caffrey (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington HS) was hit by a pitch.  Following a passed ball that advanced the runners, Hall scored on a ground out by Reed Brown (Rogers, Ark./Heritage).

S&T then used a dose of small ball to ignite a six-run uprising in the third.  After Clint Wobbe (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis University HS) was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Will McCord (Kingman, Ariz./Kingman HS) and Michael Lockett (O'Fallon, Mo./Timberland) both reached base on bunts.  Lee Voth-Gaeddert (Hesston, Kan./Hesston HS) followed with an opposite field single to score two runs, then Hall bunted his way on to load the bases again.

Caffrey was hit by a pitch for the second time to force home a run, then with one out, Brown singled to the opposite field to bring home Voth-Gaeddert and Hall.  Caffrey would score the sixth S&T run of the inning on an error.

Gronek was in control throughout the afternoon, needing only 92 pitches in his complete game performance.  He was touched for a leadoff homer by Jake Roberts in the seventh, but got 15 outs via the ground ball to improve his record to 4-1.

The Miners outhit the Pumas 7-6 in the opener, with Lockett getting two of the seven hits.  Brown drove in three runs for S&T.

In game two, the Miners scored unearned runs in each of the first two innings to stake Auble to an early lead.

McCord reached on an infield single to open the S&T first, then Lockett reached on an error while bunting McCord to second.  Voth-Gaeddert followed by reaching on a fielder's choice, but the return throw to first was wild to allow McCord to come in to score.

The third Puma error allowed Jake Brower (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland) to get on base to begin the second and he would score later in the inning on a squeeze bunt by Wobbe.

S&T tacked on two more unearned runs in the fifth.  McCord singled with one out, but looked to be picked off before the first pitch was thrown to Lockett.  McCord took off toward second and appeared to be tagged out by first baseman Angelo Burrage, but the ball came out of his glove after the tag was made.  It was ruled that Burrage lost the ball while making the tag, leaving McCord at second.

A wild pitch followed, then Lockett singled under the glove of the third baseman to extend the lead to 3-0.  Following a double by Voth-Gaeddert, Hall delivered a sacrifice fly to give S&T a four-run lead.

Auble, who allowed just a third inning double over the first six innings, lost his shutout with one out in the ninth after giving up three singles in the inning.  He turned the game over to Harry Dunsford (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville), who picked up his fourth save of the year by fanning both hitters he faced.

Auble finished with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings to win for the third time in as many decisions.

McCord and Lockett had two hits apiece for the Miners, who won their 11^th straight GLVC game dating back to last season.

Missouri S&T will head to the road next weekend for conference play, taking on Lewis University Saturday in Romeoville, Ill., and Wisconsin-Parkside Sunday in Kenosha, Wis.