Baseball Drops Saturday Road Doubleheader at Culver-Stockton

Canton, Mo., (April 19, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team finished a Heart of America Athletic Conference series against Culver-Stockton (Mo.) with a Saturday doubleheader in Canton, Mo.  The Vikings led early but fell 6-5 in game one, and dropped the second game, 5-2.

Missouri Valley went in front early, producing from the plate in the top of the first inning.  Junior Centerfileder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and eventually came home on an error from the Wildcats to make it a 1-0 score.  Sophomore Pitcher Mason Chamberlain (Victoria, B.C.) struck out one batter in the bottom half of the first to keep Culver-Stockton scoreless.  The Vikings added another run in the second inning, as Senior Leftfielder Dale Bratz (Carstairs, Alberta) singled and then scored on a sac-fly from Senior Second Baseman Ruben Fernandez (Madrid, Spain) to keep MVC in front, 2-0.  Chamberlain faced the minimum in the bottom of the third and after a scoreless inning for both teams, Missouri Valley came through with more production from the plate in the top of the fourth.  Bratz singled, and Freshman Catcher Jazofef Del Rosario (Toronto, Ontario) followed with a double allowing Bratz to reach third, who then reached home safely on a balk, 3-0.

Missouri Valley extended their lead in the top of the fifth, as Senior Designated Hitter Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, British Columbia) singled, advanced to third on a CSC error, and scored on a single from Freshman Shortstop Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan).  Later in the at-bat, Senior Third Baseman Connot Bell (San Diego, Calif.) singled to left field and Suzuki scored on a passed ball holding a 5-0 lead.  Culver-Stockton answered back in the bottom half, using three hits to score three runs and cut their deficit down to 5-3.  After Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the sixth, the Wildcats eventually came back in the bottom half of the inning, as they produced three runs on two hits to go in front, 6-5.  The Vikings tried to create late in the game, as both Junior Pinch Hitter Tanner Duncan (Kenneth, Mo.) and Freshman Rightfieder Isaac Nieters (Hughesville, Mo.) walked, and Senior First Baseman Joe Hedger (Logan, Iowa) was hit by the pitch, but they were left stranded to end the at-bat, and Missouri Valley fell by a final score of 6-5.

Bratz led with two hits and two scored runs.  Suzuki had one hit, one run and one RBI, while both Mitchell and Mah finished with one hit and one run each.  Senior Pitcher Bodey Ellis (Kennett, Mo.) picked up the loss, going 0.2 innings, giving up two hits and three earned runs. 

The second game started with Missouri Valley going in front in the first inning.  Mitchell singled and was thrown out at second base, Duncan reached first on a fielder's choice, Suzuki singled, and Bell walked to load the bases.  Nieters followed with a single to bring home two runners and give the team a 2-0 lead.  Culver-Stockton got a run back in the bottom of the second inning, as they produced one run on two hits to make it a 2-1 score.  After a scoreless third inning for the Vikings, the Wildcats used one hit and two MVC errors to score one run and tie the game at 2-2.  Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the top of the fourth, and Culver-Stockton took the lead in the bottom of the inning as they scored one run on two hits, 3-2.  Missouri Valley put a runner on base in the fifth, but was left stranded.  The Wildcats continued to increase their lead in the bottom half, as they used a double to produce two more runs to hold a 5-2 advantage.  After a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, the Vikings tried to create late in the top of the seventh inning as both Fernandez and Mitchell singled, but the pair were unable to reach home safely and Missouri Valley fell, 5-2.

Nieters finished with one hit and two RBIs.  Suzuki had one hit and one scored run, while Mitchell totaled two hits, and Duncan scored one run.  Freshman Pitcher Jade Limbrock (Yorktown, Ind.) picked up the loss, going 3.2 innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs.

Missouri Valley falls to 12-30 and 7-21 in the Heart, while Culver-Stockton improves to 18-22 overall and 12-16 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking baseball team will play a non-conference doubleheader against Missouri Baptist in St. Louis, Mo., Wednesday, starting at 2 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.