[Game 1] [Game 2]

[pics vs. Rockhurst]

BOLIVAR, MO. ... In most exciting fashion, the Southwest Baptist University baseball team finally opened the 2006 season as they split with Rockhurst University.  Both games came down to the final inning of play with SBU winning game one and RU taking game two.

Chris Martinez led the way for SBU as he combined for 4-of-7 with four RBI.  He collecte his first home run of the year in his first at-bat as a Bearcat in game one.

Chris Martinez had a home run in his very first at-bat as a Bearcat.

Game 1

Freshman Bobby McMillin singled home the game winning run on a perfected bunt straight to the pitcher.  The executed bunt brought home Skyler Powers to give SBU a 9-8 win in the season opener.  With the game tied at eight, Martinez started off the bottom of the 7th inning by flying out.  Powers then tripled to right center field to set up the game winning bunt by McMillin.

Zane Montgomery picked up the win as he pitched the final 1.2 innings.  He gave up three hits and three runs with four strikeouts.  Beau Davis went 5.1 innings and struck out five with four earned runs. 

SBU took a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.  After Joel Gould struck out, Josh Baggett walked and then advanced to second on Kevin Miller's single.  Martinez cracked the first home run of the year as the next batter in his first-ever hit as a Bearcat. 

RU cut the lead to two, 3-1, in the top the 2nd and then added another run in the third to make it 3-2.  SBU responded with a four-run 3rd inning for a 7-2 lead.  Miller scored on a RU error for the first run and that was followed by a Spencer Wilkins double down the right field line to bring home McMillin and Powers.  Wilkins scored when Chris Martin made it on base by RU's second error of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth SBU extended their lead to six, 8-2, when Jason Asher came home on a wild pitch. 

RU did not go away easily down six.  They scored six runs over the next three innings that started with one run in the 5th, two in the 6th, and then three in the 7th inning.  RU had three home runs in that stretch to tie the game at eight. 

In the top of the 7th inning, Montgomery put himself in a jam.  With the bases loaded after a walk, RU had a sacrifice fly to tie the game at eight.  The Hawks now had runners on first and third and only one out.  With the pressure on, Montgomery struck out the next two batters to end the inning. 

SBU then preceded to rally and win the game in the bottom of the 7th. 

Wilkins ended the game going 1-of-2 with two RBI.  McMillin had the other RBI for SBU.

Joel Gould had two RBI in game two.

Game 2

SBU had to play catch up in game two after taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.  Kevin Miller brought in Gould on a single to the first baseman to make it 1-0.  RU answered with three runs in the 2nd inning for a 3-1 lead.  SBU cut the lead to one, 3-2, in the bottom of the 3rd when Martinez singled in Gould. 

Once again, RU came right back with four runs in the 4th inning on five hits for a 7-2 advantage.  SBU did fight back and add two runs in the bottom of the inning.  Gould recorded his first triple of the year to score both Asher and Montgomery to make it 7-4. 

RU added three runs in the top of the next inning for a 10-4 score.  SBU did get one run back in the bottom of the 5th when Martinez scored on a RU error to bring it to 10-5. 

SBU made it 10-6 in the bottom of the 6th when Kyle Griffin scored on a wild pitch. 

Adding an insurance run in the top of the 7th, RU held on for the win in the bottom of the inning.  Miller started off the inning with a double and then came home as Martinez doubled to left center.  Martinez then advanced to third on a passed ball but was picked off on a fielder's choice for the first out.  After McMillin flied out for the second out, Chris Martin was the second Bearcat to make it on base with a single.  Griffin singled as the next batter to load the bases as SBU was down only four runs.  Asher finished the game with a ground out to end SBU's rally and fall short, 11-7.

Ian Murray took the loss for SBU as he went four innings and game up five earned runs on 10 hits.  Kelly Ray pitched two innings followed by an inning from Nick Henderson.

Montgomery went 2-of-2 and Gould and Martinez were both 2-of-3.  Gould had two RBI while Martinez and Powers each had one RBI.

SBU will travel to Russellville, Arkansas, on Wednesday, February 15, to take on Arkansas Tech at 12 p.m.