Baseball Scores 9 Runs in 2nd Inning of Game 2 to Earn Split
(Joplin, MO) – Facing the Mission Patriots at a neutral site in Joplin, the Broncos lost game one 7-2, but scored nine runs in the second inning of their 11-6 game two victory.
(Joplin, MO) – Facing the Mission Patriots at a neutral site in Joplin, the Broncos lost game one 7-2, but scored nine runs in the second inning of their 11-6 game two victory.
In game one, Mission got on the board on a one-out RBI double in the first inning. The Patriots added to their lead in the third, leading off the inning with three straight singles to go up 2-0. After a third run scored, Mission got two more on the board on a Bronco error and took a 6-0 lead on a groundout.
Mission began the seventh with a double, a walk, and a hit-batter, followed by an RBI single to put the Patriots up 7-0. Hastings got three straight outs to limit the damage and responded with two runs in their half of the seventh.
With two outs in Hastings' half of the seventh, freshman Griffin Baltzell drew a pinch-hit walk. A single by senior Jace Valdez set up junior Levi Fletcher, who drove in Baltzell with a single to center. On the next play on a ball hit by sophomore Cody Haynes, Valdez came around to score on a Patriot error, making it a 7-2 final following the final out.
Senior Jake Poris pitched 3.1 innings out of the bullpen, allowing only one run on five hits and striking out two. Senior Aaron Elgersma pitched a scoreless top of the seventh inning, giving up one hit and striking out two.
In game two, the Patriots started strong with back-to-back one out home runs to take a 2-0 lead.
The game changed in the bottom of the second, as Hastings scored nine runs in the inning. They loaded the bases on a walk, single, and error, then Haynes tied the game at two with a two-run RBI single to left. Two batters later with still nobody out, freshman Jake Sweet walked to bring in the third run.
With one out in the second, junior Evan Morrison singled in Haynes and senior Tristian Martinez, making it 5-2. A second error in the inning loaded the bases and senior Kaden Steen cleared the bases with a three-run RBI double. The final run of the inning came on an RBI groundout by junior Joshren Mace Magnaye, putting Hastings up 9-2.
Mission got a run back in the fifth, scoring on a passed ball, but Hastings came right back with two runs in the next half inning. With runners at the corners and one out, Sweet put down a bunt that scored freshman Diego Martinez. Sophomore Tyler Rojas followed him up with a line-drive RBI single to left, making it 11-3.
The Patriots cut into the deficit in the sixth on a two-run home run. Mission also made things interesting in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. Junior Ryder Derouin came on in relief and got a strikeout, then after a walk brought in a run, Derouin struck out the next batter to clinch the 11-6 win.
D. Martinez finished 3-4 at the plate with two runs scored and T. Martinez was 2-3 with two runs scored. Steen drove in three runs, going 1-3 with a walk. Morrison, Haynes, and Sweet all recorded two RBIs, each recording one hit and a walk. Freshman Connor Weber pitched five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and striking out three.
Up next, Hastings will play two more against Mission tomorrow, starting at 11am in Neosho, MO.
