Baseball Opens Road Heart Series with Baker

Baldwin City, Kan., (April 23, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team traveled to Baldwin City, Kan., to open a Heart of America Athletic Conference series against Baker (Kan.) with a Thursday afternoon doubleheader.  The Vikings dropped the opener, and fell in a low-scoring second game, 2-0.

Game one started with a scoreless first and second inning for both teams, where Freshman Pitcher JR Reed (Fort Worth, Texas) induced four fly-outs.  Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the top of the third, and Baker eventually went in front in the bottom half of the inning, using two hits to produce three runs, 3-0.  Sophomore Shortstop Bradley Johnson (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) singled in the top of the fourth, but was unable to reach home safely.  The Wildcats added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 6-0 score.  The Vikings threatened in the top of the fifth, as Junior Designated Hitter Masayoshi Hattori (Tokyo, Japan) and Senior Leftfielder Shumpei Kaneko (Saitama, Japan) singled, but both were left stranded, as a double-play ended the at-bat.  Baker followed with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the fifth, and another run in the sixth to extend the advantage.  Missouri Valley was unable to rally in the game, and fell by a 9-0 score.

Sophomore Second Baseman Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan), Johnson, Kaneko, and Hattori each had one hit. 

The second game started with a scoreless first and second inning, as Freshman Pitcher Carson Rustemeyer (Jefferson City, Mo.) induced a double-play and a fly-out.  Missouri Valley put a pair of runners on-base, as Senior Rightfielder Colton Campbell (Aledo, Texas) walked, and Junior Catcher Josh Hudson (Kansas City, Mo.) singled, but a double-play ended the at-bat in the top of the third.  Baker followed with production from the plate in the bottom half of the inning, using two hits and one MVC error to score two runs, 2-0.  Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth and fifth inning.  The Vikings threatened in the top of the sixth, as Hudson doubled to left field, and Johnson followed with a single, but both runners were left stranded.  Rustemeyer faced the minimum in the bottom of the sixth, striking out one batter. However, Missouri Valley was unable to put another runner on-base in the seventh inning, and fell by a final score of 2-0.

Hudson had two hits, and Johnson added one hit.  Rustermeyer pitched the complete-game, giving up five hits and two runs with one strikeout.

Missouri Valley drops to 3-43 overall and 3-23 in the Heart.  Baker improves to 26-20 on the season and 13-12 in the conference. 

Up next, the two teams will finish the Heart series with a doubleheader, Friday beginning at 4 p.m., in Baldwin City, Kan. 

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.