Baseball Splits Monday Road Doubleheader at Park

Parkville, Mo., (April 7, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team traveled to Parkville, Mo., to open a Heart of America Athletic Conference series against Park (Mo.) with a Monday afternoon doubleheader.  The Vikings fell in the first game, but bounced back to win game two, 4-1.

Playing as the home team in the doubleheader, Missouri Valley started game two with Junior Pitcher Tanner Duncan (Kennett, Mo.) striking out two batters in the top of the first inning, then working around a single in the top of the second inning to keep Park scoreless.  The Vikings came through with production from the plate in the bottom half of the second, which started on back-to-back singles from Senior Third Baseman Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, British Columbia) and Senior Catcher Connor Bell (San Diego, Calif.).  A Pirate error allowed Mah to score, and a grounder from Senior First Baseman Joe Hedger (Logan, Iowa) brought home Bell to put MVC in front, 2-0.  Duncan faced the minimum in the top of the third inning, which included his fourth strikeout of the contest.  Park cut into its deficit in the top of the fourth, scoring one run, but Duncan got out of the inning without surrendering the lead as a double-play started by Freshman Shortstop Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) ended the threat.

After Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the bottom of the fourth, Duncan again took down Park in order, striking out another pair of batters.  The Vikings put together some two-out production in the bottom of the fifth, as Senior Second Baseman Dale Bratz (Carstairs, Alberta) walked, stole second base, then came home on a Junior Centerfielder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) single to extend the lead out to 3-1.  Another run was produced in the bottom of the sixth as Nieters opened the at-bat with a walk, and eventually reached third on a Bell grounder.  Nieters came home later in the inning on a wild pitch, and MVC held a 4-1 lead.  The Pirates brought the game-tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh inning, after a pair of singles, but Duncan ended the threat with a strikeout to finish out a 4-1 Viking win.

Mah and Bell each totaled one hit and one run scored, and Mitchell had one hit and one RBI.  Duncan finished a complete-game on the mound, giving up five hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts.

In game one, Missouri Valley was led in the first game by Junior Rightfielder Pablo Arnaud (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), who finished with two hits.  Junior Centerfielder Silvan Stilzebach (Moosburg, Germany), Junior Shortstop Jacob Spear (Oakwood, Ill.) and Sophomore Pinch Hitter Masayoshi Hattori (Tokyo, Japan) had one hit and one run apiece, while Freshman Leftfielder Isaac Nieters (Hughesville, Mo.) added one hit and one RBI.  The Vikings fell to the Pirates by a final score of 18-3.

Missouri Valley moves to 11-20 overall and 6-12 in the Heart.  Park sits at 16-11 on the season and 11-7 in the conference.

Up next the Vikings will play another doubleheader at Park, Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m.

Game 1 Box Score-Click Here

Game 2 Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.