ROLLA, Mo. – The Miners added two more wins during today's doubleheader against Wayne State College, winning 4-1 and 5-3.
Game 1 – Miners 4, Wildcats 1
Starting pitcher
Ethan Morrow (Lenexa, KS/Shawnee Mission West) breezed through the first eight outs of the game, before running into some trouble. In the top of third inning, he was up 1-2 in the count but would end up walking the batter four pitches later. Next, a single would put a Wildcat baserunner in scoring position. Morrow got ahead 0-2 against the next batter but fell behind again, walking the batter eight pitches later and loading the bases. Morrow would end the inning with a strikeout though, sending the game to the bottom of the third scoreless.
After walking the first batter in the fifth, Morrow would balk, moving the baserunner to second. A groundout by the next batter would move their runner to third with only one out. The Wildcats would score shortly after off a wild pitch. The Miners closed out the inning with two groundouts, but the damage was done as they entered the bottom of the inning trailing 1-0.
Still down 0-1,
Cody Hazzard (Mazon, IL/Yorkville Christian) took the mound in the top of the sixth, not allowing a hit and getting two strikeouts against four batters.
Tommy Ruether (Washington, MO/Washington) tripled to the center right gap on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning. He would score two batters later off a single from
Kenneth Sugi (North Vancouver, BC/Carson Graham Secondary) that dropped in short center field. The Wildcats made a change at pitcher and would get one strike away from ending the inning before
Nick Krodinger (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) tripled down the left foul line to bring two runners home. Krodinger would get home too after Wayne State's shortstop made an error corralling a groundball by
Matt Souza (Escondido, CA/Christian) on what could have been the final out of the inning. The Miners' next batter would get out on an unsuccessful bunt, but the inning was a success, as the Miners scored four to take a 4-1 lead.
Dylan Wipf (Oak Park, IL/River Forest) would close out the seventh and final inning, facing only four batters to clinch the 4-1 victory for S&T.
Hazzard would be awarded the win with a save for Wipf.
Game 2 – Miners 5, Wildcats 3
Estin McBroom (Monett, MO/Monett) started game 2 for the Miners. He struggled early, allowing the Wildcats to get two baserunners in scoring position with just one out in the second inning. Wayne State would bring one of those runners home next at bat with a groundout to Krodinger before a second groundout ended the inning with S&T down 1-0.
McBroom would walk the first batter of the third inning, but third baseman
Carter Bither (Springfield, MO/Springfield Catholic) would complete a fantastic double play next at bat, moving in to collect a bunt before turning two at second and first. McBroom would strikeout the next batter to end the inning with a zero on the board for WSC.
Bither would lead off for the Miners at the plate next inning, drawing a walk on an eight pitch plate appearance. A sacrifice bunt by
Andrew Hedgecorth (Smithville, MO/Smithville) would move Bither to second, followed by a walk for
Sam Monroe (Moline, Ill./Moline). The Miners were unable to capitalize on the situation though, with a lineout to right field and a fielders choice groundout to shortstop ended the inning scoreless.
The fourth inning looked like it may be a better one for McBroom, getting two quick outs off a fly ball and a strikeout. He would get in some trouble again though after two walks and a wild pitch put runners on first and second but closed the inning strong with another strikeout to prevent any runs. The Miners got into good position early in the bottom of the fourth, putting batters on first and third with one out. A single from
Drew Baugus (Kirkwood, MO/Kirkwood) would bring Krodinger home for the Miners' first run of the game, tying the game at 1-1 heading into the fifth.
McBroom's day would end in the top of the fifth, after a tag at home plate by Souza narrowly saved the Miners from falling behind again.
Matthew Kaiser (St. Louis, MO/Vianney) relieved McBroom with runners on second and third and two outs. A fly out by the next better would allow the Miners to get out of the inning unscathed. After a scoreless fifth inning, the Miners would get through seven batters in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs off three hist to go up 5-1.
Kaiser started the seventh inning with two walks, a hit, and a wild pitch, resulting in WSC getting runners on first and third.
Matt Ellingson (Lenexa, KS/Olathe Northwest) would take over at this point, needing two outs to finish the inning. He would hit the first batter he faced, loading the bases. S&T had a chance to end the inning when the next batter set up an opportunity for a double play, but an overthrow to first base by Bither would keep the inning alive as the Wildcats scored two. Ellingson would get a strikeout to close the inning with the Miners still leading 5-3.
The Miners would hold onto their lead to win 5-3, with
Jacob Cook (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community) coming in to earn a save in the top of the 9th. The win would go to
Matthew Kaiser (St. Louis, MO/Vianney) for his performance in the fifth.
The Miners will be back at the Ballpark at S&T tomorrow at 1 p.m. for their last game against Wayne State.
