Rolla, Mo. - The Maryville baseball team closed out a crucial Great Lakes Valley Conference series win by sweeping a doubleheader at Missouri S&T Saturday afternoon in Rolla, Mo. The Saints posted an 8-2 win in game one and took a 10-inning thriller 1-0 in game two.

In game one, the Miners took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Saints started their rally with a run in the top of the third. Nate Steffler singled to open the inning, took second on a ground out and advanced to third on a passed ball. Brad Ridings drilled a single to left to drive in the first Maryville run. The Saints roared ahead with three runs in the fifth. Kaleb Depew singled and eventually reached third when Sean Murphy got aboard on a Miner fielding error. Corey Gall singled to right to tie the game. With the bases loaded, Eric Keling walked to force in another score as the Saints went ahead 3-2. Later, Garrett Jones and Gall pulled off a double steal as Gall's run handed the Saints a 4-2 edge. The Saints sealed the win with three runs in the top of the seventh. Jones had an RBI single, and Mike Wilkinson smacked a two-run double. Tyler Omlid's sac fly scored Jones with the game's final run.

Game two was a pitcher's duel as neither team could score a run in the first nine innings. Ryan Van Volkenberg started for the Saints and allowed just three hits in 5-1/3 innings of work. Brandon Sarkissian took over, worked the final 4-2/3 innings and eventually picked up the win. The Saints pushed a runner into scoring position in the first three innings but were unable to score a run. The Miners had chances in the eighth and ninth but Sarkissian kept the game scoreless.

In the first extra inning, Kyle Kinyon singled to start the tenth, and Troy Payton entered the game as a pinch runner. Steffler put down a sac bunt but the Miners misplayed the out as both runners reached. Payton stole third to stand 90 feet away from the game's first run. Ridings had the key basehit to right as Payton scored what would prove to be the game winner. The Miners nearly tied the game in the bottom of the tenth as they pushed runners to second and third. Sarkissian induced a grounder to third as the Saints held on for the thrilling win. Miners starter Eric Van Dyke was outstanding on the mound and pitched all 10 innings. He allowed just the one unearned run and six hits overall to the Saints (19-25 overall, 14-18 GLVC). The Miners fall to 18-27, 12-19 in the league.

The Saints host McKendree in a non-conference game Wednesday, April 30, in a 3 p.m. start.