Baseball Falls in Series Opening Doubleheader at No. 21 Central Methodist

Fayette, Mo., (April 12, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College baseball opened a Heart of America Athletic Conference series at No. 21 Central Methodist (Mo.) Saturday afternoon in Fayette, Mo.  The Vikings dropped both games of the doubleheader to open the series.

Game one began with Central Methodist going in front early, using one hit and two walks to produce two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and then adding another pair of runs in the bottom of the second to make it a 4-0 score.  After the Eagles tacked on another run in the bottom of the third, Missouri Valley cut into its deficit on a solo homerun from Freshman Leftfielder Isaac Nieters (Hughesville, Mo.) in the top of the fourth inning.  Central Methodist followed with a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning, and MVC trailed, 6-1.  The Vikings tried to start a two-out rally in the top of the fifth, as Junior Centerfielder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) and Junior Designated Hitter Tanner Duncan (Kennett, Mo.) both singled, but the at-bat ended without any runs crossing home plate.  Sophomore Pitcher Mason Chamberlain (Victoria, B.C.) entered the game in the bottom of the fifth, and struck out one batter and stranded two CMU runners on-base, then worked around one hit and an error in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Eagles scoreless.  The top of the seventh featured a single from Pinch Hitter Aidan Bearden, but Missouri Valley fell by a final score of 6-1.

Duncan had two hits, while Nieters added one hit, one run and one RBI with his solo home run. 

Central Methodist took a big lead at the start of the second game, putting together a long rally in the bottom of the first inning.  A total of five hits and two Viking errors eventually led to seven runs scored by the Eagles.  Missouri Valley responded in the top of the second inning with a solo homer from Junior Rightfielder Pablo Arnaud (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) to cut the deficit down to 7-1.  The Eagles followed with two more runs scored in the bottom half or the second.  The top of the third featured a rally at the plate for MVC, which was started by back-to-back singles from Mitchell and Duncan.  The pair were brought home on a three-run home run from Senior Third Baseman Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, British Columbia).  Later in the inning Freshman Shortstop Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) drove home Nieters on a sac-fly, and Senior Second Baseman Dale Bratz (Carstairs, Alberta) capped the five-run inning with an RBI single to score Arnaud as the team trailed, 9-6.  Central Methodist increased its advantage in the bottom of the third, bringing home six runs and making it a 15-6 score.  Another five runs came home in the bottom half of the fourth for the Eagles.  Missouri Valley finished out scoring in the game in the top of the seventh, as Freshman Third Baseman Brennan Nickerson (St. Louis, Mo.) sent out a three-run homer, but the Vikings fell by a final score of 20-9.

Arnaud had two hits, two runs and one RBI, and Duncan added two hits and one run scored.  Both Mah and Nickerson finished with one hit, one run and three RBIs apiece.  Mitchell and Senior Catcher Colton Campbell (Aledo, Texas) both had one hit and one run, while Suzuki and Bratz added one hit and one RBI.

Missouri Valley falls to 11-24 overall and 6-16 in the Heart.  Central Methodist improves to 22-12 on the season and 16-6 in the conference.

Up next, the two teams will finish their weekend series with a Sunday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., in Fayette, Mo.

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.