Wildcats Bounce Back in Game Two to Split Day One vs. Park on Monday

PARKVILLE, Mo. – After dropping game one of the series, the Baker baseball team bounced back in game two and defeated Park by a score of 13-5 to split the first two games of the four-game series.

Christian Spitz got the start in game one and pitched 5.1 innings with eight strikeouts before Gabriel Lopez threw the final 0.2 innings and finished the game. Baker had just eight hits in the game as Brian Hawkins went a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI to be the only Wildcats with a multi-hit game.

With Tanner Twillman on second and two away, Hawkins roped a double to left center and gave Baker the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Park was then able to get three runs in the first and two more in the third as they held a 5-1 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Quinton Graham hit a solo home run over the left field wall and cut the lead to 5-2. Park wouldn't let Baker get any closes as they added a run in the bottom of the fifth and eventually went on to win game one, 6-2.

Jaxon Kutch pitched the first 3.1 innings before Logan Whelan and Jake Miller combined to pitch the final 3.2 innings with Whelan coming away with the win. Baker had 12 hits in game two, with reigning Heart of America Player of the Week Tucker Flory going 3-for-4 with four RBI. Tanner Twillman and Peyton Lewis also had two hits in game two.

Park was able to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a solo home run, but Baker fired right back in the top of the second, scoring five runs on five hits including singles from Graham, Flory and Hawkins as Baker took a 5-1 lead.

After sac-flies from both Camden and Cooper Karlin in the top of the third, Baker held a strong 7-1 lead. The Pirates then cut into the lead in the bottom of the third inning, scoring three to make it 7-4 head into the fourth inning.

After adding one in the fourth and two more in the fifth, Park added one more in the bottom half of the inning as Baker led 10-5. With the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Flory tripled to right center and scored all three runs, putting the game away and giving the Wildcats a 13-5 win.

Baker is now 13-9 on the season and 5-1 in Heart of America play. They will finish the four-game series against Park on Tuesday, March 21, when they travel back to Parkville, Mo., to take on the Pirates at 1 p.m., weather pending.

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