ST. LOUIS – A pair of explosive early innings powered the Maryville baseball team to a 12-2 victory over Lincoln (Mo.) in Great Lakes Valley Conference action Sunday at Weber Baseball Field. The Saints now move to 4-0 in GLVC play.
 
The Saints wasted little time setting the tone, plating six runs in the first inning and four more in the second to build a commanding lead they would never relinquish. Maryville finished with 10 hits while drawing eight walks in the win.
 
INS & OUTS
Maryville opened the scoring quickly when Matthew Rauser doubled and later came home on an error. The inning quickly snowballed from there as Brady Kindhart delivered the big blow, ripping a bases-clearing double to push the lead to four. Justin Gorski followed with a two-run double down the right-field line to cap the six-run frame.
 
Lincoln answered with a two-run homer in the second to trim the deficit to 6-2, but the Saints responded immediately.
 
Jace Burton tripled to begin the bottom half of the inning before Dominic Anselmo lifted a sacrifice fly to extend the lead. Steven Schneider then broke the game open with a three-run homer to center field, pushing the advantage to 10-2.
 
Maryville added two more runs in the sixth when Kindhart lined a two-run single through the right side, finishing a five-RBI afternoon for the Saints' first baseman.
 
On the mound, Nolan Miller earned the win after allowing two runs on six hits over four innings while striking out five. Alex Bryan and Owen Nesslage combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to close out the contest.
 
Kindhart led the offense with two hits and five RBIs, while Schneider drove in three and scored three runs. Burton added two hits and a triple as well.
 
UP NEXT
The Saints return to Weber for a four-game set against the Grand Valley State Lakers this coming weekend.