JEFFERSON CITY, MO. – The Lincoln University baseball team got off to the start they wanted, but St. Mary’s quickly came back and never looked back, taking the doubleheader, 16-4, and 22-2 in a run-rule second game in Heartland Conference action Friday at the LU Baseball Field.
The home opener looked to be getting off to the right start, as Lincoln (3-14, 3-14 HC) opened the first game with two runs in the bottom of the first, as sophomore centerfielder Chris Pfau walked to leadoff and after junior second baseman Joey Pate reached on an error, Lincoln was in business. Junior left fielder Gus Durst delivered a single to right field to plate Pfau with the first run of the game. Junior shortstop James Johndrow came through with the second run batted in, as he reached on a fielder’s choice, which allowed Pate to score for the 2-0 Blue Tiger lead.
St. Mary’s (13-6, 12-6 HC) quickly answered back with two runs in the top of the second and took the lead in the top of the third with four more runs for a 6-2 advantage heading into the fourth inning.
The Rattlers tacked on three in the top of the fourth before Lincoln posted their final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth.
Junior first baseman Cie Arell coaxed a one out walk and later came home on a two-run home run off the bat of senior right fielder Kyle Lasley to cut the lead to five, 9-4.
St. Mary’s would add seven more runs over the next three innings, as the Rattlers scored in every inning but the first.
Lasley and Durst each tallied two hits in the first game.
In game two, the Rattlers exploded with nine runs in the first inning, as they sent 15 batters to the plate in the first frame. St. Mary’s continued with the offense, tallying 10 runs over the next two innings for a 19-0 lead after three innings.
The Blue Tigers tallied their only runs in the sixth inning, as after the first two batters were retired, junior right fielder Adam Burcham walked and then came home on a two-run home run off the bat of Durst.
Durst was the only Blue Tiger to record two hits in the second game, as he finished a solid doubleheader with four hits.
Lincoln will finish up their series with St. Mary’s on Saturday with the first pitch set for 12 p.m. at the LU Baseball Field. The teams will play one, nine inning game to complete the series.
St. Mary's (TX) 16, Lincoln 4 (Mar 05, 2010 at Jefferson City, MO) (Game 1)
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St. Mary's (TX)..... 024 323 2 - 16 18 2 (12-6, 11-6 HC)
Lincoln............. 200 200 0 - 4 6 1 (3-13, 3-13 HC)
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Pitchers: St. Mary's (TX) - Alfonso Maldonado; Kevin O'Rourke(7). Lincoln - Forsythe, Justin;
Golden, Brian(4); Fuemmeler, Ian(7).
Win-Alfonso Maldonado(3-2) Loss-Forsythe, Justin(1-2) T-2:35 A-81
HR STMU - Ryan Morrow; Weston Baros; Greg Herbst.
HR LUBB - Lasley, Kyle (1).
St. Mary's (TX) 22, Lincoln 2 (Mar 05, 2010 at Jefferson City, MO) (Game 2)
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St. Mary's (TX)..... 955 000 3 - 22 16 1 (13-6, 12-6 HC)
Lincoln............. 000 002 0 - 2 4 0 (3-14, 3-14 HC)
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Pitchers: St. Mary's (TX) - Matt Holland. Lincoln - Lasley, Darren; Bess, Dustin(1);
Kemna, Caleb(2); Walker, Tyler(6).
Win-Matt Holland(4-1) Loss-Lasley, Darren(1-3) T-2:25 A-63
HR STMU - Ryan Morrow.
HR LUBB - Durst, Gus (2).