ST. LOUIS – Despite 11 strikeouts from Ben Gregory and a two-run homer by Cole Christman, the Maryville baseball team dropped its Great Lakes Valley Conference opener 5-2 to Missouri S&T. The Saints had six hits on the day, while the Maryville pitchers surrendered just five to the Miners.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Miners struck for a solo homer in the first but Gregory struck out the other three Missouri S&T hitters. The Saints pushed runners to the last two but stranded them there to end the bottom of the first. Matt Arnold nailed a Miner trying to steal second, and Gregory tacked on two more Ks in the second inning.
 
The visitors tacked on a pair of runs in the third and two more in the sixth inning. In the home half of the sixth, Christman doubled and took third on a wild pitch but the Saints were unable to bring him home. Maryville finally broke through in the eighth inning. Cameron Macon reached on a walk, and Christman launched a ball over the fence in left center to bring the deficit to three. The Saints were unable to get another runner on board as the Miners held on for the victory. Christman finished the day with three hits. The Maryville pitching staff recorded 13 strikeouts on the day. Gregory threw 5-1/3 innings for the second most punchouts in his career.
  
UP NEXT
The Saints and Miners continue their GLVC series with a pair of games Saturday starting at 1 p.m. at Weber Field.
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