RENSSELAER, Ind. – Saint Joseph's handed Missouri S&T its second loss in an extra inning contest in as many days Monday afternoon, as the 25
th-ranked Pumas scored a run in the 11
th inning to beat the Miners
2-1 and sweep the three-game series between the teams.
The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was cancelled on account of early morning weather as the teams agreed to play a single game after the weather cleared.
The Miners had runners on base in each of the first five innings against Puma starter Zachary Aring, but were unable to push a run across the plate. Saint Joseph's, who had been held in check by
Luke Marcheschi (Bloomington, IL/Central Catholic) for the first four frames, broke on top in the fifth on Chase Fieldhouse's sacrifice fly.
S&T again had runners on the base in the next three innings and failed to score, but finally broke through in the ninth against Cameron Curry.
Lucas Swindle (Weldon Spring, MO/Lutheran-St. Charles) was hit by a pitch to open the inning, then following a pair of fielder's choices, pinch-runner
Matt Knickerbocker (Bayfield, CO/Bayfield) stole second and scored on a hit by
Zach Bracken (Berthoud, CO/Berthoud) to tie the contest.
But in the 11
th inning, the Pumas got their leadoff man on when Joe Kenney was hit by a pitch, then as Kenney advanced around to third, the Miners intentionally walked two hitters to load the bases. Fieldhouse followed by hitting a ball up the middle to score Kenney with the winning run.
Saint Joseph's (14-2) outhit the Miners 13-6 in the contest; no Miner got more than one hit in the game.
Marcheschi allowed seven hits in five innings of work, while
Trent Green (Perryville, MO/Perryville) followed with five scoreless innings on the hill.
Blaine Dunbar (West Plains, MO/West Plains), the first of three pitchers S&T utilized in the 11
th, was tagged with the loss.
The Miners had won their three previous extra inning contests of the year prior to a 1-0, eight-inning loss Sunday, preceding Monday's setback.
Missouri S&T (9-9) will open its Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule Saturday when it takes on Drury in Ozark, Mo. Saturday's doubleheader, the start of a four-game set with the Panthers, will get underway at 2 p.m.