Kirksville, Mo. – The Maryville baseball team needed a rally in the second game of the day to earn a split with Truman State University Saturday afternoon. The Saints fell in the series opener, 2-0 and rallied to win the nightcap, 6-5 at Truman Baseball Park in Kirksville, Mo.
The Bulldogs grabbed the lead in the fourth with a pair of runs as the Maryville offense could not get on track as the Saints could only muster six hits in the contest. Maryville did have an opportunity to score in the eighth inning as
Danny Covert laid down a bunt single and moved to second on a
Tyler Catlett base hit to right field. After
Mitch Carriger walked to load the bases, the Bulldogs induced an inning ending double play to end the Saints uprising.
AJ Dean pitched seven innings while giving up two runs and striking out a pair of Truman batters. Catlett paced the Saints at the plate going 3-for-3 in the contest as the Bulldogs out-hit Maryville 13-6.
The Saints got the bats going in the nightcap as
Louis Niemerg singled through the left side in the second inning and moved up to second on a
Dalton Schumer single.
Garrett Taylor delivered a single to left field to score Niemerg and give Maryville an early 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs answered in the home half of the inning with four runs to take a 4-1 advantage, but Maryville battled back in the top of the third as
Cody Klotz opened the frame with a single up the middle and moved up to second as Catlett drew a free pass. Carriger then singled to right and scored Klotz to cut the lead to 4-2. The Saints then took advantage of a Bulldog error as Niemerg reached first and Catlett scored to get Maryville to within a run at 4-3. The Saints were not done yet as Schumer opened the fourth with a single to right center and moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt. Schumer then scored on a
Zack Ruckman double down the left field line to even the contest at 4-4.
The game continued to go back and forth as the Bulldogs plated a run in the bottom of the fourth to re-take the lead at 5-4. The Saints rallied again in the sixth as Schumer drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a Taylor single. Ruckman drew the second walk of the inning to load the bases for Klotz, as he lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Schumer and tie the contest at 5-5.
Troy Payton, who came in to pinch run for Taylor, scored on a Catlett single up the middle to give the Saints the lead at 6-5.
Justin Laffleur earned the win in relief as he pitched 5.1 innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts. Schumer and Taylor led the way for the Saints at the plate with each having a pair of hits while Schumer scored two runs for Maryville.
The Saints (17-15, 4-7 GLVC) and the Bulldogs will complete their four-game series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader set to begin at noon.
