SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Jacob Kroeger pitched Maryville University past Drury University in the series opener on Friday night. The senior from Palmyra, Mo., went 8.0 innings and allowed just one earned run in a 5-1 victory. The win improved the Saints to 29-14 and 21-8 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
 
Drury Recap
Jack Zebig led off the game with a double in the top of the first and advanced to second on Michael Gould's walk. Elias Stevens stepped in as the third hitter of the game and collected an RBI single to center field. Two batters later, Jacob Hager worked a bases-loaded walk to give Maryville a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
 
The Panthers put a runner on the corners with two outs in the first frame, but Saints' starter Jacob Kroeger avoided any runs from scoring with a 4-6 fielder's choice.
 
Stevens singled again to lead off the third and scored later in the inning on a Dominic Sharp RBI fielder's choice. In the fourth, Andy Bunton doubled with no outs and scored on a throwing error to extend the lead to four before a solo home run from Matt Schuler in the seventh made it 5-0.
 
Kroeger continued dealing on the mound, not surrendering a hit until the bottom of the sixth. He was sent back out to the mound in the bottom of the ninth to try to finish off the complete game, but Drury got a pair of doubles and a run to force him out of the game. His final line was 8.0 innings, one earned run, and 12 strikeouts on 90 pitches.
 
Noah Harbin was brought out of the bullpen and he worked three consecutive strikeouts to close out a 5-1 Maryville win.
 
Winning Pitcher: Jacob Kroeger (5-0)
Losing Pitcher: C. Bahl (4-2)
  
Batting Leaders
Matt Schuler: 2-for-5, HR, RBI, R
Elias Stevens: 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, R
Jack Zebig: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, R
 
Records:
Maryville: 29-14, 21-8 GLVC
Drury: 24-18, 21-8 GLVC
 
What's Next?
The Saints and Panthers play two more in Springfield, Mo., on Saturday, April 27, beginning at 1 p.m.
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