Baseball Earns Split Against the Vikings

MARSHALL, MO. - In two high scoring games, the Graceland University baseball team split yesterday with the Missouri Valley College Vikings. Graceland won the opener 12-11 and fell in the final game 14-5.

GAME 1

To start the game, Missouri Valley jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a solo home run. The Yellowjackets got their offense rolling with a double from Tanner Maskey that brought up Matt Reyes who sent a ball over the fence for a quick two-run home run to counter. Going into the 3rd, Justin Wells reached base with a walk. After a base hit from Andres Lopez and Tanner Maskey drawing a catcher's interference, the Yellowjackets had bases loaded for Alfonso Aguilera who lined one past the shortstop bringing home Wells and Lopez. Then, Jerred Soriano tacked on one more run with a sacrifice fly to score Maskey. Into the 4th, an explosive Vikings offense responded with five runs of their own regaining the lead at 9-5.

The Yellowjackets shrunk the deficit quickly with a lead off home run coming from catcher Zak Schueller. Soriano later added a long ball that brought in Reyes and put Graceland down by just one. Entering the 6th, the Vikings added two runs to their total to put the pressure on the Yellowjacket bats.

Justin Wells got things started with a single followed with a double from Andres Lopez but Wells was held up at 3rd. Maskey draws another catcher's interference to bring up the hot bat of Alfonso Aguilera with bases loaded. Aguilera scorched single that brought home Wells and Lopez. Soon after, Soriano hit a hard ground ball to the right side that allowed the lead run to come in. With the Vikings threatening a comeback, Cameron Vodraska slammed the door shut with a game-ending strikeout. Graceland held on late for their first conference win,12-11 over the Vikings.

GAME 2

Missouri Valley was the first to score in the second game with a grand slam coming in the 1st. Into the 2nd inning, Bryan Paez and Jaichis Holmes reached on base hits. Passing the torch, Schueller brought home Paez with a single. With the Graceland bullpen trying to stop the bleeding, Missouri Valley went on to tack on six more runs in the 2nd expanding the lead to 10-1. Aaron Hassel temporarily iced the Viking's bats with two shutout innings coming in the 3rd and 4th. To start the 5th, Wells got things going with a base hit that later brought up Aguilera who hit a two-RBI double to score Wells and Maskey.

The Vikings offense added three more in the 6th bringing their lead to 13-3. The Yellowjackets would get late offense in the 7th inning as Maskey added a two-run home run before the game was completed. Missouri Valley went on to win game two, 14-5.

The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back with a non-conference doubleheader matchup at Park University on Tuesday, March 3rd.

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