Wildcats Pick Up Two Extra Inning Wins to Win Series Over Missouri Valley, 3-1

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – After a tough weekend against Central Methodist last week, the Baker baseball team got back on track this past weekend, defeating Missouri Valley in three out of four games to move to 10-6 in conference play.

Game One (W, 2-1 – 10 Innings)

Caden Pogue got the start in game one of the series, throwing eight strong innings before Logan Whelan pitched the final two innings and received the win. Pogue did not give up an earned run in his eight innings of work, while also striking out six batters in the process.

Offensively, Baker had nine hits, with Tanner Twillman, Jared Parenti and Taylor Foss each having two hits including a homerun from Foss.

It took a while for the scoring to get going in game one, but in the bottom of the fifth inning with Taylor Foss led off the inning with a solo home run and gave Baker a 1-0 lead. The Vikings were then able to tie the game at one in the very next half inning as the game went to extra innings.

It wasn't until the bottom of the 10^th inning that Baker broke the tie as Cooper Karlin and Graham reached on a walk and an error. With two outs in the inning, Twillman then singled to left field and walked it off to give Baker the 2-1 win in game one.

Game Two (W, 3-2 – 8 Innings)

After a walk-off win in game one, Jaxon Kutch took the hill in game two and pitched five full innings before Luke Smith took over and pitched the final three innings to receive the win. Offensively, the top four in the lineup were big for Baker, collecting seven of their 10 hits including two hits each from Tanner Twillman, John Raybourn and Brian Hawkins.

Missouri Valley was able to get on the board first in game two, scoring on a single to center field to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that Baker tied the game at one on a sac-fly from Jaidon Bowers. Neither team scored in the final three innings and for the second time on the weekend, the game went to extra innings.

After Missouri Valley took a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth, Baker rallied in the bottom of the eighth and with two outs, Tanner Twillman scored a run on a triple with an error to tie the game at two. After a single from Raybourn, he stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jared Parenti then singled through the left side and scored the run to walk it off once again and give Baker the 3-2 win in eight innings.

Game Three (L, 4-1 – 8 Innings)

Christian Spitz got the start in game three of the series and pitched seven strong innings. After collecting two outs in the eighth, Spitz was replaced by Jake Miller who collected the final out. Brian Hawkins was Baker's only hitter to collect two hits in the game as he went 2-for-4 at the plate.

A bases loaded walk gave Baker their only run of the game in the bottom of the second, but Missouri Valley tied the game in the sixth on a home run to send it to extras, then took the lead in the top of the eighth on back-to-back doubles as they went on to win game three, 4-1.

Game Four (W, 3-2)

With Baker looking for the series win, Jared Parenti went to the mound to start game four. Gabriel Lopez and Luke Smith both combined to throw the final two innings of the game. Quinton Graham and Camden Karlin each collected multi-hit games as they both went 2-for-3 in game four.

After a solo home run in the top of the second put Missouri Valley ahead 1-0, Cooper Karlin reached base with a single with one out in the bottom half. The very next batter, Camden Karlin doubled to left center and scored his brother from first to tie the game at one. After a groundout moved the courtesy runner Peyton Lewis to third, a wild pitch brought him home and gave Baker a 2-1 lead.

Again, in the very next half inning, Missouri Valley roped another solo home run and this one tied the game at two after just three innings of play. In the bottom of the sixth, Taylor Foss hit a one-out ground-rule double to give Baker some life. After a lineout became the second out of the inning, Camden Karlin doubled to left center for the second time in the game and scored Foss to give Baker a 3-2 lead.

Luke Smith then collected the final three outs in order as Baker won game four of the series, 3-2 and won the series, 3-1. Baker is now 18-14 on the season and 10-6 in Heart of America play. They will be back in action on Thursday, April 6, when they host Benedictine College at 3 p.m., for a doubleheader at Sauder Field.

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