Baseball Closes Season With Home Doubleheader Against Baker

Marshall, Mo., (April 24, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team hosted Baker (Kan.) in a Thursday doubleheader in Marshall, Mo., to close a Heart of America Athletic Conference series, and the regular season.  The Vikings fell in the opener, 8-3, and lost game two.

The first game started with Baker moving in front early, using two hits and one Viking error to score one run.  Junior Pitcher Tanner Duncan (Kennett, Mo.) struck out one batter to help get out of the inning, and strand two runners on-base.  Missouri Valley responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Junior Centerfielder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) led off with a double, then stole third base.  Senior Third Baseman Jayden Mah (Nanaimo, British Columbia) brought Mitchell home on a sac-fly, and the teams were tied at 1-1.  The Wildcats put together a two-out rally in the top of the second inning, and used a two-run homer to go back on top, 3-1.  Senior Pitcher Coy Smith (Marshall, Mo.) took down BU in order in the top of the third, striking out one batter, then faced the minimum in the fourth inning.  The Vikings cut into their deficit in the bottom half of the fourth, as Freshman Leftfielder Isaac Nieters (Hughesville, Mo.) knocked out a solo homer, and the gap closed to 3-2.  Missouri Valley threatened in the bottom of the fifth, as Senior Rightfielder Dale Bratz (Carstairs, Alberta) led off with a single, but MVC could not move a runner into scoring position during the at-bat, stranding one runner on-base.  Baker increased its advantage in the top of the sixth, using another two-run homer to put the score at 5-2.  In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats added another three runs.  Senior Catcher Connor Bell (San Diego, Calif.) and Bratz both singled late in the game, but the Vikings were unable to rally, and fell, 8-2.

Mitchell had two hits and one run, while Bratz added two hits.  Nieters had one hit, one run and one RBI.  Smith went 4.1 innings on the mound in relief, giving up three hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts.

Both teams produced from the plate in the first inning.  Baker used four hits to produce two runs, while Mah drove home Senior Leftfielder Ruben Fernandez (Madrid, Spain) on a sac-fly  to make it a 2-1 score.  The Wildcats built up their advantage from there, adding two runs in the top of the second, followed by an eight-run third inning.  The Vikings countered with offense in the bottom of the fourth.  Senior Rightfielder Austyn Andrachick (Kalispell, Mont.) drove home Bell on a single, and Senior First Baseman Brandon Walker (Kansas City, Kan.) belted out a three-run homer.  Missouri Valley was unable to close the gap through the rest of the game, and eventually fell by a final score of 15-5.

Walker had two hits, one run scored and three RBIs.  Both Fernandez and Bell had two hits and one run scored.  Andrachick added one hit, one run and one RBI.  Hedger pitched one inning in relief, struck out one batter without surrendering one run.

The season comes to an end for Missouri Valley with a record of 12-34 overall with a 7-25 record in the Heart.  Baker sits at 24-22 overall and 17-15 in the conference.

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.