ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Elias Stevens hammered a walk-off solo home run in the tenth to help the Saints to an 8-7 win over Missouri Western State University on Tuesday. The heroics came after a five-run comeback and a game-tying three-run blast from Camden Ruby in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Missouri Western State Recap
Maryville fell into a 5-0 hole through the first four and a half innings of play. Andy Bunton got the Saints on the board in the bottom of the fifth with a single after Matt Schuler doubled to lead off the frame.
 
The Missouri Western State bullpen clung to a four-run lead until the bottom of the eighth. Michael Long pinch-hit and was hit by a pitch. Jack Zebig then stepped in, took the first pitch he saw, and sent the next one towering into the woods behind right field to pull his team within two. Elias Stevens followed up with two outs later in the inning with an opposite-field home run to make it 5-4.
 
The Griffons added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth, but it would not be enough to keep the lead. Jacob Hager and Bunton singled to begin the inning before Camden Ruby launched a game-tying three-run home run to right.
 
Now in extra innings, Nick Schmidt and Drake Downing combined to work a scoreless top of the 10^th. A new visiting pitcher got the first out of the inning before a controversial no-call on a hit-by-pitch on Stevens. With the count now 3-1, Stevens belted the next pitch he saw deep over the centerfield wall to end an 8-7 Saints win.
 
 
Winning Pitcher: Drake Downing (2-1)
Losing Pitcher: S. Kratz (0-1)
  
Batting Leaders
Elias Stevens: 2-for-5, 2 HR, Walk-Off HR, 2 RBI
Camden Ruby: 1-for-1, HR, 3 RBI
Jack Zebig: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
 
Records:
Maryville: 24-12
Missouri Western State: 11-29
 
What's Next?
The Saints open a four-game series at home with Truman State University on Friday, April 21. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.