Joel Gould had three hits in two games and singled home the game winning run in game one.

[Game 1] [Game 2]

BOLIVAR, MO. ... In their first MIAA meeting of the year, Southwest Baptist University swept Missouri Southern to start off in 1st place in the MIAA at 2-0.  SBU defeated MSSU, 5-4 and 6-3, in a seven inning and nine inning game.

J.R. Smith picked up his first win of the year in game one while Zane Montgomery improved to 6-0 in the 2nd game. 

Game 1

A three-run seventh inning rally gave SBU the win, 5-4, as the Bearcats were down, 4-2, heading into the inning.  Skyler Powers started off the inning with a home run to left center to cut the lead to one, 4-3.  After a SBU strikeout and a fly out, Bobby McMillin singled up the middle.  Casey Martin then made it on base with a single to left field to put two runners on base.  They moved into scoring position on a wild pitch by MSSU and then Joel Gould singled to left field to bring both McMillin and Martin home for the tying and winning runs.

SBU started the game off with a 1-0 lead in the first when Gould scored on a hit and run and then made it home on an error by the MSSU outfielder. 

MSSU answered right back with a home run in the top of the 2nd and added a run in the fifth and two in the sixth for a 4-1 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jason Asher doubled to centerfield with one out and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Kevin Miller, the very next batter, hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring the margin down to two runs, 4-2.   SBU then rallied with three runs in the seventh for the win.

Gould was 2-of-4 with two RBI and Asher went 2-of-2.  Powers had an RBI on his homerun.

J.R. Smith picked up the win with one inning of pitching as he had one strikeout.  Beau Davis went six innings and gave up three earned runs.

J.R. Smith picked up his first win of the year vs. MSSU.

Game 2

Once again SBU had to rally for the win as MSSU came out with a 3-0 lead after the third inning.  SBU did not score until the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to one, 3-2. 

SBU scored six runs in four straight innings starting in the fourth inning.  Chris Martinez brought in both Asher and Miller on a single to centerfield.  In the fifth inning Asher singled to right field which brought home Gould.  Two runs in the sixth inning came off of a Spencer Wilkins home run, his 3rd of the year, to make it 5-3. 

Miller picked up a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to score Casey Martin for the sixth run of the game.

Martinez and Wilkins both went 2-of-4 in the game and both had two RBIs.  Asher was 2-of-3 with one RBI.

Montgomery worked seven innings and recorded 10 strikeouts while only giving up three earned runs.  Ray Kelly pitched the eighth inning and recorded one strikeout while Ian Murray had his 2nd save of the year in the final inning with two strikeouts.

SBU will host Augustana (S.D.) on Friday and Saturday of this week with double headers on each day of seven innings.