ROLLA, Mo. – It was the final day of action from the Ballpark at S&T in the 2022 season as the Missouri S&T baseball team closed out its four game Great Lakes Valley Conference series opposite #13/19 Illinois Springfield in their home finale Sunday. Despite falling behind early, the Miners (17-19, 5-11) led at one point during the course of the action, but a big inning by the Prairie Stars (33-6, 13-3) was the big difference in the game, as they managed to win 14-9.
UIS opened up the game by scoring first once more, plating a pair in their first at bats of the day to lead early.
S&T answered back with a two-out RBI double to left by
Cole Hampton (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) that saw
Andrew Branson (St. James, MO/St. James) score and cut the deficit to 2-1. Following a scoreless third inning by starter
Nate Wodka (Allen, TX/Allen), the Miners tied the game on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of
Doug Wood (Liberty, MO/Liberty North) that saw
Dakota Sill (Lansing, KS/Lansing) cross home. S&T took the lead with back-to-back hit by pitches with bases loaded, as
Braden Mahurin (Dixon, MO/Dixon) and Hampton each collected an RBI the hard way to make it a 4-2 lead.
Unfortunately for S&T, the lead was short-lived as UIS scored seven times in the fourth inning, taking advantage of three errors in the inning to make it a five-run game. The visitors then added two more in the fifth to lead 11-4.
The Green & Gold did close back within four in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three times to make it 11-7. After UIS loaded the bases to begin the inning and following a pitching change, a pitch to the backstop allowed Branson to scamper home to make it 11-5. The Miners reloaded the bases with one out in the inning and forced home another run as
Tommy Ruether (Washington, MO/Washington) was plunked to plate Mahurin, before Hampton crossed home on an RBI fielder's choice by Wood.
The two teams traded zeros for the next three innings as it remained a four-run game until the ninth, when UIS hit their first two home runs of the weekend to score three times and push their lead to seven.
Looking to rally in their final at bats, S&T plated two when Sill laced double into the gap in left center off the glove of the leaping centerfielder to score Hampton before Tate Morell scored on a sac fly by Wood to make it 14-9. A comeback attempt just wasn't in the cards for the Miners, as UIS was able to record the final out to finish the weekend off.
Hampton led the way at the plate for S&T, going 3-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. Ruether also logged a three-hit and drove in a run, while Sill posted a 2-5 day with a run and an RBI. Branson and Voss had the other two hits for S&T in the game while Wood drove in three despite not recording a hit during the afternoon.
David Kephart (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest) (0-3) was charged with the loss, as he allowed seven runs, just two of which were earned, to score in the fourth. Wodka took a no decision in his start, working three innings and allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
Elijah Gross (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit West) turned in a strong relief outing, working four innings and allowing three runs, all in the ninth, while striking out three.
Ben Belgrave (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove) and
Dylan Dunbar (West Plains, MO/West Plains) each worked two-thirds of an inning, with the latter turning in a scoreless outing.
The Miners hit the road for the final nine games of the regular season, beginning Wednesday with a return trip to Pittsburg State with first pitch set for 5 P.M.
