KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — Missouri Southern (29-14) fell to Saginaw Valley (21-20) with a final score of 9–4 in a neutral-site matchup on Friday. Missouri Southern managed two home runs during the game, but Saginaw Valley's five-run second inning proved decisive.
Missouri Southern started strong with
Aiden Hinkle doubling to left field, followed by
Blake Jones' RBI single that brought Hinkle home, giving the visiting team a 1–0 lead in the first inning. Saginaw Valley responded in the second inning, capitalizing on an error and a balk to advance Austin Cicerone, who later scored on Connor Cornwell's RBI single. Lucas Mead's grand slam extended their lead to 5–1 by the end of the inning.
The fifth inning saw Saginaw Valley add to its lead with Ryan Jarvis' solo home run and Jacob Pitt's two-run homer, making it 8–1. In the sixth, Southern narrowed the gap slightly when
Jason Lazo scored on
Andrew Young's RBI single, bringing the score to 9–2.
Jones homered to left center in the eighth inning, reducing the deficit to 9–3. In the ninth, Hinkle hit a solo home run, but it wasn't enough to overcome the lead. The final score was Saginaw Valley 9, MSSU 4.
Owen Schneider pitched 4 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 5 hits, including 2 home runs, while recording 2 strikeouts and issuing 3 walks.
Gabe Perry came in as relief and pitched 2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 3 hits, including a home run, with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks.
Keaton Anderson closed the game by pitching 2 innings without allowing a run, throwing 12 strikes out of 22 pitches.
Hinkle contributed significantly with two runs and a home run, driving in one run. Jones led the offense with three hits, including a home run, and tallied two RBIs. Schneider pitched 4 innings, allowing five earned runs and striking out two, but was tagged with the loss. Perry relieved for 2 innings, striking out three while giving up two earned runs.
