ROLLA, Mo. – The Miners earned their second run-rule of the series in today's 14-4 win over the Cardinals. Today's game was the last game in the series against WJC, with the Miners winning 3-4 to improve to 14-11 and 5-7 in conference.
After loading the bases with no outs to start the game, starting pitcher
David Kephart (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest) got out of the inning only allowing one run after a double play and a groundout. The Miners got the bases loaded in the first as well, scoring twice off a fielders choice RBI by
Nick Krodinger (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) and a RBI single by
Tyler Prince (Mexico, MO/Mexico) to take a 2-1 lead. The top of the second started off poorly for Kephart, giving up three straight hits before recording the first out. The Miners would allow two runs in the inning but it very well could have been three if not for a throw from Krodinger to
Keaton Scott (Hannibal, MO/Hannibal) that led to a tagout on a runner trying to steal home.
The Miners loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the second. A single by
Garrett Weiner (Alton, IL/Marquette) would bring home the first of four runs in the inning, with another one coming on a bases loaded walk and a two RBI single by
Aiden Cizek (Wildwood, MO/Lafayette). An error by Krodinger in the top of the third led to the Cardinals scoring an unearned run. With two outs, Kephart was replaced by
Elijah Gross (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit West) with bases loaded and one out. The Cardinals grounded into a double play off of Gross' first pitch, sending the game to the bottom of the third with the Miners leading 6-4.
Having gone through the entire batting order in the second,
Drew Baugus (Kirkwood, MO/Kirkwood) led off for the second inning in a row, getting a single through the left side to start things off. A walk and a sacrifice bunt would put the Miners with two in scoring position and one out on the board. Only Baugus would make it home though, off a ground out to shortstop by Sugi. Gross only allowed one hit against four batters, ending the inning with a strikeout.
Scoring continued for the Miners in the bottom of the fourth, as they added another two runs to their lead. The top of the fifth was the quickest half inning of the day, with Gross recording a strikeout against the first batter before retiring the next two to make it five straight outs between the fourth and fifth. Krodinger led of the fifth with a single, eventually scoring off a wild pitch two at bats later for the Miners only run of the fifth.
Gross gave up a hit to first batter in the top of the sixth, but then retired the next three to put the Miners back up to bat. After getting two on base off a hit by pitch and a walk, the Miners scored their first run of the inning of a double to left field by Weiner to make it 11-4. Krodinger and
Tyler Prince (Mexico, MO/Mexico) would each get RBIs as well in the ensuing bats, putting the Miners up 13-4 heading into the seventh.
Cody Hazzard (Mazon, IL/Yorkville Christian) stepped in for Gross in the seventh, recording two strikeouts in five at bats to end the top of the seventh quickly. The Miners had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, threatening to end the game early with a run-rule before a groundout prevented that. Hazzard got through to top of the eight quickly too, recording a strikeout and getting some help from the infield with a double play to end the inning. After a single and two HBPs, the Miners had bases loaded. They were able to complete the run-rule win when
Sam Monroe (Moline, Ill./Moline) took a walk next at bat, bringing
Tyler Prince (Mexico, MO/Mexico) home for the game-ending run.
The win went to Gross since Kephart did not pitch a full five, improving his record to 3-0 this season. Cizek led the team in hits today with three in four at bats.
The Miners travel to the University of Illinois Springfield later this week as conference play continues. The series will take place Thursday through Saturday due to Easter Sunday.
