Ozark, Mo. –
Drake Lubin hit a pair of extra-base hits, including his first home run of the year, while
Ryan Louck limited Southern Indiana to a single run over three innings in relief to propel the Maryville baseball team to a 7-6 win over the Screaming Eagles in an elimination game at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Baseball Tournament in Ozark, Mo. The victory gives the Saints 29 wins, which is now the most in school history.
How it Happened:
After three scoreless innings,
Drake Lubin put the Saints out front with his first home run of the season over the left field wall to give Maryville a 1-0 advantage. The Sceaming Eagles tied the game in the fifth with an RBI single to knot the contest at 1-1, but Maryville responded in their half of the fifth frame. With two outs in the inning,
Derek Renner reached base on an error,
Alex Hoff singled, and Lubin drew a walk to load the bases for the Saints.
Wyatt Elbe laced a two-run single and
Louis Niemerg then ripped a two-run double to put Maryville ahead 5-1. Klotz added to the lead with an RBI double to left field to extend the lead to 6-1. Southern Indiana cut the lead to 6-3 in the sixth as they drew a pair of bases loaded walks to score twice. The Screaming Eagles tacked on another run in the seventh on a solo home run to make the score 6-4. The Saints scored an insurance run in the eighth as
Camdon Mercier opened the inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch to push the advantage to 7-4. USI continued to battle in the ninth as they scored a pair of runs on a double to cut lead to 7-6, but Louck slammed the door on the uprising with a strike out to keep the Saints alive in the tournament.
Winning Pitcher: Cody Klotz (5-1)
Save: Louck (3)
Losing Pitcher: G. Welch (1-2)
Hitting leader: Lubin – 2-for-3, HR, 3B, RBI, two runs scored
Niemerg – 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, run scored
Elbe – 1-for-4, 2 RBI, run scored
Records:
Maryville – 29-21
Southern Indiana – 30-21
Up Next: Maryville continues play in the tournament this afternoon as the Saints take on Illinois Springfield at 5:30 p.m. If Maryville wins, the Saints would force an elimination game against the Prairie Stars Sunday at 9 a.m.
