ROLLA, Mo. – Starting pitcher
Dylan Mollett (St. Louis, MO/Oakville) recorded eight strikeouts in seven innings today, giving up zero runs and just three hits, to lay the groundwork for S&T's 7-2 win. This was the first game in a series against GLVC newcomer Upper Iowa.
After a quick top of the first inning by Mollett,
Jack Bell (Andover, KS/Andover Central) stepped up to the plate as the lead off hitter for the Miners. He would single down the left field line, getting around to third base on the next at bat due to a couple of balks. A short fly out to left field kept Bell from coming home during the same at bat, but he would not have to wait long for that as a groundout to shortstop by
Kenneth Sugi (North Vancouver, BC/Carson Graham Secondary) would bring Bell home to give the Miners a 1-0 lead.
Mollett went through the top of the second in three at bats, closing the inning on back-to-back strikeouts.
Tyler Prince (Mexico, MO/Mexico) started the bottom of the second off with a single and would steal two bases in the subsequent moments, leading to runners on first and third for the Miners. A single by
Carter Bither (Springfield, MO/Springfield Catholic) would give Prince a run and double the Miners lead, as the home team would load the bases with a walk in the next at bat to put the pressure on Upper Iowa. Back at the top of the order, Bell doubled deep to left field, clearing the bases to extend the Miners to 5-0.
After another quick top half of the inning, the game entered the bottom of the third with the Miners still up by five. Another single by Prince and a walk for
Nick Krodinger (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) put runners on first and second for the Miners with only one out. Prince would be caught trying to steal second though, followed shortly after by a strikeout for
Logan Alexander (Olathe, KS/Olathe Northwest) to end the inning with a 0 on the board for S&T.
After giving up a single to the first batter in the fourth, Mollett would get three strikeouts in a row to close out the inning and leaving the runner stranded. S&T would not fair much better in the fourth either though, only getting through three batters. After another scoreless top of the inning for the Peacocks, S&T came back up to bat in the bottom of the fifth and would add another couple of runs off RBIs by Prince and Krodinger.
No runs came home in the next two innings, although the Miners had a runner on third in each, taking the game into the top of the eighth with S&T still leading 7-0.
Matt Ellingson (Lenexa, KS/Olathe Northwest) took over for Mollett in the eighth, giving up three hits and two runs before ending the inning with two strikeouts. The Miners got into scoring position again the in bottom of the inning with a runner on second, but would leave him stranded, taking the game into the top of the ninth with the Peacocks needing five runs to tie the game. Ellingson would walk two in the inning but ultimately got the three outs he needed to end the game in a 7-2 S&T win.
Prince's three hits in four at bats was the best of the day for the Miners, while Bell's three RBI double would give him the most RBIs on the day.
S&T continues their series against the Peacocks with a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at noon.
