EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking to rebound Saturday after dropping the series opener Friday, the Missouri S&T baseball team was back in action at the USI Baseball Field for what was originally scheduled to be the doubleheader day of the series. After overcoming a deficit on two occasions, the Miners (17-22, 5-13) and Screaming Eagles (17-26, 6-12) went to extra innings, but had two wait out mother nature as intervened and halted play for over two hours. When play resumed, S&T managed to get the go-ahead run on base in the ninth but after failing to cash in, were unable to work out of another bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the inning as USI went up 2-0 in the series on a 7-6 walk-off win.
The first game of the day began with two scoreless innings before USI plated the first run of the afternoon in the bottom of the third.
S&T responded with an RBI double by
Brady Voss (Lake St. Louis, MO/Liberty) with two outs to score
Garrett Weiner (Alton, IL/Marquette) and tie things back up at 1-1.
Again, the game didn't remain tied for long as the Screaming Eagles scored five runs in the inning to regain the lead 6-5.
Following a scoreless fifth inning, the Miners needed just one swing to hang up a crooked number in the sixth. After
Cole Hampton (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville), Voss and
Andrew Branson (St. James, MO/St. James) all reached base with one away, USI went to the bullpen with the bases loaded.
Christian Montes de Oca (El Paso, TX/Franklin) didn't take to welcome the new arm to the game, as he blasted the third pitch he saw deep to left field a grand slam, the first home run of his career at S&T, to make it a 6-5 game.
The Miners kept the momentum going in the seventh, as with two on and two out and down to their final strike, Voss delivered another RBI double down the line in left to score
Tommy Ruether (Washington, MO/Washington) for the equalizer to make it 6-6.
A scoreless bottom of the seventh by
David Kephart (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest) meant free baseball in game one as the team took the field for extra innings, but with two outs in the top of the frame, mother nature intervened and halted play for just over two hours.
When play resumed did resume just before 8 o'clock, USI quickly threatened to end the game in the bottom of the eighth. After
Elijah Gross (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit West) recorded the first out via line drive, the next two Screaming Eagles reached on a single and double to put the winning run 90 feet away at third base. Looking to keep the double play in order, S&T intentionally walked the number five hitter to load the bases before Gross pitched out of trouble, striking out the next two batters to keep the game tied.
In the ninth, the Miners were able to get the go-ahead run into scoring position when Weiner was hit by a pitch before stealing second moments later, but he was left stranded as Southern Indiana worked out of the inning. In the bottom of the inning, three of the first four batters reached base for USI to again put the go-ahead run 90 feet away. A fielder's choice recorded a force out at home plate for the second out of the inning, but S&T couldn't quite get the third as Southern Indiana lined a single into right field to win on a walk-off 7-6.
Gross (2-2) took the loss, working an inning and two-third after the delay and allowing three hits while striking out two. Starter
Cade Meier (Dakota, IL/Dakota) worked into the fourth and took a no-decision, finishing with 3 1/3 innings of work and allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out a pair.
Chasen Anderson (Moscow Mills, MO/Troy Buchanan),
Jacob Cook (Chicago, IL/Minooka Community) and
David Kephart (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest) were sterling out of the bullpen before the weather delay, working a combined 3 2/3 innings of shutout ball and striking out three against four hits.
Offensively, Voss finished 2-3 with two doubles and two RBI and a run scored while Montes de Oca posted a 1-3 day highlighted by the grand slam in the sixth inning.
Michael Hughes (St. Clair, MO/St. Clair) went 1-1 and reached base three times with a pair of walks while
Doug Wood (Liberty, MO/Liberty North) and Ruether had the balance of S&T's hits in the game. Six different players scored a run in the game for the Miners.
The series will conclude Sunday with two games, with action beginning at 12 P.M. Saturday's originally scheduled game two, a seven-inning contest, will be played first followed by the final nine-inning game of the weekend.
