ROLLA, MO -- The Miners picked up a pair of victories on Saturday, defeating the Quincy Hawks in both ends of a doubleheader by scores of 5-1 and 6-5. Bates had a strong outing in game one, throwing a complete 7-inning game with 0 earned runs.
Game 1: Missouri S&T 5, Quincy 1
Bates had a strong outing as the starting pitcher for S&T in game one, striking out three of the first four batters he faced to hold the Hawks without a hit for the first two innings. The Miners grabbed an early lead in the first, getting a lead off double from
Bricen Smith (Perry, GA/Mount de Sales Academy) that set him up to come home on a
Garrett Meyer (Jacksonville, IL/Jacksonville) RBI to at bats later.
The Hawks drew even in the top of the fourth, scoring an unearned run to make it 1-1 before Bates struck out another batter to end the inning with Quincy baserunners on second and third. S&T had two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth, but it wasn't until the fifth that they added to their lead. With runners on first and second, Meyer hit an infield single to load the bases, with Smith scoring in the next at bat on a fielders choice.
Bates struck out two more in the top of the sixth, facing only four batters. The Miners started the bottom of the sixth off with two singles, getting base hits from
Cory Chostner (Columbia, MO/Hickman) and
Aiden Cizek (Wildwood, MO/Lafayette) to force a pitching change. Quincy would load the bases later, intentionally walking Smith with two outs in hopes of getting out of the inning unscathed. Three straight hit by pitches advanced the runners though, scoring three for S&T to extend the lead to 5-1 entering the final inning.
Bates retired the last three batters in the final inning, earning his third win of the season as he improves to 3-0 as a starter. He ended the day with 86 pitches across 7 innings pitched, striking out 6 while giving up just 4 hits and 0 earned runs. Smith went 2-for-2 at the plate with three runs, while Meyer and
Denton Damgaard (Colorado Springs, CO/Cheyenne Mountain HS) each had 2 RBIs.
Game 2: Missouri S&T 6, Quincy 5
S&T got into some trouble in the opening inning, giving up three hits and allowing two runs as the Hawks took a 2-0 lead. Another lead off double by Smith led to a Miner run in the bottom of the first, with the sophomore crossing home plate on a sacrifice fly by Meyer two at bats later.
Logan Slinkard (Affton, MO/Lutheran South) made short work of the Hawks in the top of the second leading to the Miners highest scoring game of the inning in the bottom of the second.
Will Muench (Wentzville, MO/Timberland) reached first for the Miners, taking first base on a hit by pitch. Singles by Chostner, Cizek, and
Drew Baugus (Kirkwood, MO/Kirkwood) followed, adding two runs for the Miners with 0 outs still on the board. Smith batted in another run before the inning ended, bringing Cizek home to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Hawks added a run in the top of the third but would be held two just three hits the rest of the game. S&T added runs in the fourth and fifth innings, with Baugus scoring in the fourth after a lead off double and Damgaard coming home after reaching on a single to center field.
The Miners led 6-4 entering the top of the ninth, with Quincy having added a run back in the sixth.
Dylan Wipf (Oak Park, IL/River Forest) opened the final inning with a three-pitch strikeout, but got into some trouble after a single and a triple by the Hawks scored a run and put the tying run at third. Wipf shutdown the comeback bid though, striking out the final batter to earn the save.
Damgaard and Baugus combined for four of the Miners nine hits in the game, each recording two. Smith's two RBIs were a team high, ending his day with three hits, four runs, and two RBIs. The Miner pitchers combined for nine strikeouts in game two, with Slinkard recording three while
Nate Donovan (Ballwin, MO/Parkway South),
Ethan Payne (Bentonville, AR/Bentonville), and Wipf each chipped in two.
What's Next
The Miners head to Truman State next weekend for another four-game GLVC series.
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