ROLLA, Mo. – The Missouri S&T baseball team kicked off their final home series of the season Friday afternoon at the Ballpark at S&T as they welcomed Blue Division leader Illinois Springfield to town for a four game Great Lakes Valley Conference series. The #13/19 Prairie Stars (30-6, 10-3) scored first and never trailed in the game as the Miners (17-16, 5-8) couldn't quite pace the offense of the opposition, falling in game one 17-6 in seven innings.
Illinois Springfield struck first in the game, plating two runs in the first inning before
Dylan Mollett (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) was able to get back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and extinguish the threat.
After a 1-2-3 top of the second, S&T plated a run when
Braden Mahurin (Dixon, MO/Dixon) singled to right center to make it a 2-1 game as
Brady Voss (Lake St. Louis, MO/Liberty) came around from first to score.
A trio of Miners went 2-3 at the plate in the person of Ruether, Voss and Mahurin, the last of which was also one of three players with two RBI in the game along side Weiner and Montes de Oca.
UIS answered with two runs in the top of the third inning to make it a 4-1 game before they plated seven in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth to lead 14-1.
S&T plated two in the bottom of the sixth, the as
Tommy Ruether (Washington, MO/Washington) scored on an infield single by
Garrett Weiner (Alton, IL/Marquette) who came around to score moments later when Voss singled to left field.
Three more Prairie Star runs came in the seventh inning, as did three more runs for the Miners. Weiner reached on a fielder's choice that saw
Tate Morrell (Lloydminster, AB/) score after he worked a pinch-hit walk with one out.
Christian Montes de Oca (El Paso, TX/Franklin) singled later in the inning back up the middle to score Weiner and
Doug Wood (Liberty, MO/Liberty North) with two outs before the third UIS pitcher of the inning was able to record the final out of the game to take game one 17-6.
Mollett (3-2) took the loss, allowing six runs, five earned in 3 1/3 innings of work with three strikeouts. Mick Von Felt worked a scoreless inning and one third of relief with two hits and a strikeout while
Ben Belgrave (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove),
Matt Ellingson (Lenexa, KS/Olathe Northwest) and
Kyle Fowler (Foristell, MO/St. Dominic) all made appearances as well.
The two teams will be back in action Saturday for doubleheader action beginning at 12 P.M. back at the Ballpark at S&T. Senior Day festivities will be held to recognize the eight member of the S&T baseball program playing their final home games this weekend.
