Baseball Drops Pair of Games to No. 6 Central Methodist

Marshall, Mo., (April 14, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team finished a Heart of America Athletic Conference series against No. 6 Central Methodist (Mo.) with a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Indian Foothills Park.  The Vikings led in the first game, but fell by a final score of 9-7.

Game one opened with Central Methodist moving in front in the top of the first inning, using a two-run homer to make it a 2-0 score.  The Eagles added another run in the top of the second inning, while Junior Pitcher Caleb Monnig (Liberty, Mo.) took down CMU in order in the top of the third, striking out one batter, to keep the deficit at 3-0.  Freshman Leftfielder Mason Baer (Roselle, Ill.) singled to start the bottom of the third, and Junior Designated Hitter Joe Hedger (Logan, Iowa) added a two-out single in the at-bat, but the Vikings could not cut into their deficit.  Monnig got out of a jam in the top of the fourth, as Senior Shortstop Josias Mogollon (Bloomfield, Iowa) caught a liner to start a double-play and end the threat.  Central Methodist added to its lead in the top of the fifth inning, knocking out a pair of solo homers to put the advantage at 5-0.  Missouri Valley rallied in the bottom half of the fifth, as Junior Second Baseman Ruben Fernandez (Madrid, Spain) reached on an error to start the at-bat, followed by a single from Mogollon.  Fernandez came home on a sac-bunt put down by Baer, while Hedger drove in a pair of runners with a single.  Senior Centerfielder Ivory Daniels (Little Rock, Ark.) continued the productive inning with a run-scoring single, then Junior Catcher Conner Bell (San Diego, Calif.) drove home a run with a single.  With two runners on-base and two outs, Junior First Baseman Austyn Andrachick (Kalispell, Ind.) brought both home on a double to end the rally and put MVC in front, 7-5.  The Eagles responded with a rally of their own in the top of the sixth, using five hits to produce four runs and move back on top, 9-7.  Junior Pitcher Caleb Bergman (Alma, Mo.) worked around a single in the top of the seventh, and MVC trailed by two runs going into its final at-bat.  Bell singled with one out to bring the tying run to the plate.  However, the Vikings were unable to produce and fell by a final score of 9-7.

Bell had two hits and one RBI, while Hedger had two hits and two RBI's.  Both Daniels and Baer added one hit, one run and one RBI apiece.  Monnig went 4.2 innings, giving up eight hits and five earned runs with two strikeouts.

The second game featured one hit, one run and two RBI's from Daniels on a two-run homer.  Senior Third Baseman Ty Ellis (Kennet, Mo.) added one hit and one run scored as the Vikings fell in the second game, 13-3.  Freshman Pitcher Mason Chamberlain (Victoria, British Columbia) went 4.1 innings in relief, giving up six hits and one earned run with two strikeouts.

Missouri Valley sits at 14-26 on the season and 3-21 in the Heart.  Central Methodist moves to 34-7 overall and 20-4 in the conference.

Up next, the Vikings are scheduled to play a non-conference game at Health Sciences & Pharmacy (Mo.), Tuesday at 3 p.m., in St. Louis, Mo.

Game 1 Box Score-Click Here

Game 2 Box Score-Click Here

ABOUT MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.