ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Home runs from Elias Stevens and Joey Polak backed Jacob Kroeger's second consecutive complete-game victory in game two against Lindenwood on Saturday.

Lindenwood Game One Recap
The Lions jumped out to a 6-0 lead through the first five innings while their starting pitcher Ryan O'Connell blanked the Saints early. 

Maryville did not respond until the top of the sixth when a single from Andy Bunton and a sacrifice bunt from Nick Hofmann set the stage for Brad Willis' RBI single. In the seventh, the visitors added three on a two-run home run from Alex Hoff and another RBI single from Willis pulled them within two. 

Lindenwood's bullpen shut out the Saints in the eighth but found more trouble in the ninth. Hoff singled up the middle to start the inning, still down two runs, followed by Bunton's single through the left side. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over for Willis who drove in his third run with a groundout. 

With the tying run on third, new relief pitcher Jacob Thomson closed the door on a Maryville comeback with a ground ball out to seal up a 6-5 Lion victory.
 
Winning Pitcher: Ryan O'Connell (6-3) 
Losing Pitcher: Ryan Louck (2-4)
Save: Jacob Thompson (3)
   
Hitting Leaders:
Brad Willis: 2-5, 3 RBI
Alex Hoff: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Andy Bunton: 2-3, 2 R, SB, BB
 
  
Lindenwood Game Two Recap
Maryville starting pitcher Jacob Kroeger came into his start against the Lions as the reigning Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week and got off to a fast start again in the first inning with a pair of strikeouts. 

Still knotted up at zero, Elias Stevens stepped to the plate with a runner on in the third inning and blasted a two-run shot to left field to put his team up 2-0. Joey Polak added to the lead in the fifth with a solo home run. 

After cruising through his first five innings, Kroeger found trouble in the bottom of the fifth when a two-RBI triple to right-center cut the Maryville lead to one. Willis answered immediately in the bottom half with an RBI double down the left field line to bring in Hofmann. 

Holding fast to a 4-2 lead, the Saints trusted their starter to finish off the first-place Lions in the seventh. The Palmyra, Missouri native struck out the first two batters of the inning looking and notched his second consecutive complete-game victory with a swinging strikeout for his 11th of the game.
   
Winning Pitcher: Jacob Kroeger (3-1)
Losing Pitcher: Eli Brown (1-2) 
  
Hitting Leaders:
Elias Stevens: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI
Joey Polak: 1-4, HR, RBI
Brad Willis: 1-4, 2B, RBI
   
Records:
Maryville: 15-15, 5-5 GLVC
Lindenwood: 19-12, 8-2 GLVC
   
What's Next?
The Saints wrap up their series with Lindenwood on Sunday, April 10 with a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.