ST. LOUIS – Maryville University baseball defeated Missouri Western State University 12-7 on Wednesday to pick up their sixth win in a row. The Saints were led to victory by big offensive performances from Michael Gould and Jack Zebig who combined for eight RBI.
 
Missouri Western State Recap
Zeb Roos tried to spark the offense in the top of the first with a two-out single. He then stole second base ahead of an Elias Stevens seven-pitch walk. The Griffins tight-roped out of danger and used the momentum to draw first blood with a pair of runs in the bottom half.
 
With one out in the top of the second, Jacob Hager blasted a 3-1 offering from the Missouri Western State starter to cut the lead in half. Stevens tied the game in the third with an RBI fielder's choice that plated Jack Zebig who led off the frame with a single.
 
After a rocky first inning, Maryville starter Noah Leingang settled in and kept the home team scoreless over his next two innings of work. His offense got him a lead in the top of the fourth when a single from Hager and a hit-by-pitch set the stage for the reigning Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week Michael Gould. Gould stayed hot and doubled in two runs to give his team a 4-2 advantage.
 
In the fifth, the Griffins posted four runs but the Saints did not go quietly. Another RBI single from Gould brought the Saints within one and Stevens singled home the tying run in the next at-bat.
 
Now down 7-6 in the seventh, Gould tripled to right field to bring home two more runs to give him five driven in on the day to re-take an 8-7 lead. Stevens tripled to lead off the eighth and scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-7. Later in the inning, Zebig tripled with the bases loaded to push the lead to five runs.
 
Drake Downing took care of the eighth and Noah Arras the ninth to finish off a 12-7 Maryville win. The Saints move to 16-6 overall in 2023 and are winners of six consecutive games.
 
Winning Pitcher: Drake Downing (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Daniel Clark (0-1)
  
Batting Leaders
Michael Gould: 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI
Jack Zebig: 2-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI, BB
Jacob Hager: 2-for-3, HR, 2 R
 
Records:
Maryville: 16-6, 7-1 GLVC
Missouri Western State: 5-18, 2-11 MIAA