Bolivar, Mo. -  The Maryville baseball team hit three home runs in the second game of the day, but could not avoid being swept by Southwest Baptist Thursday afternoon in Bolivar, Mo. The Bearcats took the first game of the day by a score of 19-4, and then defeated the Saints 8-5 in the series finale.
 
Game One:
The Bearcats struck first as SBU plated six runs on seven hits in the bottom of the first to grab an early 6-0 lead. The Saints cut into the lead in the third as Cody Klotz launched a solo shot over the right field wall to make the score 6-1. SBU answered right back with three more runs in the home half of the third to extend the lead to 9-1. Klotz continued to swing the hot bat as he smashed a two-run double to score Drake Lubin and Alex Hoff, who both drew two-out walks, to cut the deficit to 9-3.  The Bearcats added eight runs in the fifth to push their lead to 17-3, but the Saints added a run in the sixth as Dylan Mooney scored on a fielder's choice to make the score 17-4. 

Winning Pitcher: Drew Wagner (2-0)
Save: None
Losing Pitcher: Ryan Scharf (0-1)
Hitting leader:  Klotz – 3-for-3, 2B, HR (2), 3 RBI's, run scored
                          Austin Tappella – 2-for-3, 2 2B's
                          
Game Two:
After a quiet first inning, Tapella got the Saints going with a solo blast to right field to stake the Saints to a 1-0 lead. The Bearcats answered with a run of their own in the home half of the inning to knot the game at 1-1. The Saints took advantage of a single, a pair of free passes, and a hit batter to forge ahead 2-1 in the fourth as Wyatt Elbe drew a bases loaded walk to push across Daniel Covert to give Maryville the lead. After SBU scored runs in the fifth and sixth frames to take a 3-2 lead, the Saints used the long ball in the eighth as Covert and Cole Bornhop each drilled home runs to give Maryville a 4-3 advantage. SBU once again took the lead in the bottom of the eighth as the Bearcats plated five runs in the frame. Maryville added a run in the ninth as Klotz drove in Cade Schares to cut the lead to 8-5, but that is as close as it got as SBU held on for the win.
 
Winning Pitcher: David Tongue (2-0)
Save: None
Losing Pitcher: Ryan Louck (0-1)
Hitting leader:  Lubin – 2-for-4, 2B
                           Covert – 2-for-5, HR (1), RBI, two runs scored
 
Records:
Maryville – 1-4
Southwest Baptist– 5-4
 
Up Next: The Saints open the 2019 home schedule at Weber Field as they welcome Hillsdale for a three-game set starting with a twin-bill Saturday, Feb. 23. First pitch is set for 1 p.m