Game 1 Box Score (Lincoln 19, Truman 5)
Game 2 Box Score (Truman 6, Lincoln 2)
Lincoln University (Mo.) 10-19; 9-19 MIAA
Truman State University (Mo.) 12-20; 11-17 MIAA
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Christian Witt and Mathew Grosch pitched a solid second game as the Truman Bulldogs salvaged the final game of their series with Lincoln University by taking a 6-2 victory on Tuesday. The Blue Tigers took the opener by a 19-5 final.
Witt fanned eight Blue Tiger hitters in five innings of work before giving way to Grosch who allowed just three hits over the next four innings for his first save of the season. The win gave Truman 11 conference wins that tie the program's high mark in league play dating back to 1999.
Kody Stricklin put the Bulldogs on top in the second with an RBI single up the middle that drove in Jordan Howe but the 'Dogs left them loaded for the second straight inning.
The Bulldogs added one more in the fourth as Devon Myers got a sac fly to right scoring Stricklin.
In the fifth, Luke Crader led off with a single and Kenny Swanson followed with a walk. Howe singled in Crader with a hit to right and a sac fly brought in Swanson. Howe would score on a wild pitch to put Truman up 5-2. Truman would add an insurance run in the sixth.
Despite the ugly score in the opener, the Bulldogs trailed by just two runs heading into the final inning.
Lincoln got to Bulldog starter Michael Staihr early as he lasted just a third of an inning after walking a batter and giving up three doubles to stake the Blue Tigers to a 3-0 lead.
Daniel Jewett closed the gap to 3-1 with an RBI double to center but Lincoln took advantage of a lead off walk in their next at bat to push across another run.
With the score 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Lincoln starter Joe Jungmeyer finally ran out of gas as he walked the first three to start the inning. Jungmeyer was lifted after fanning eight Bulldogs and allowing just two hits.
Tim Lee was punched out on a questionable call with the count full for the first out but Stricklin followed with an RBI single to right. Michael Reese brought Truman to within two with a bases clearing double to left center. Unfortunately for the 'Dogs, the next two were retired.
A walk, a single followed by two errors opened the flood gates in the seventh for the Blue Tigers. With two outs, James Jonhdrow tripled to get things going. Cedric Belt would homer to left and Johndrow would cap off the inning with a grand slam as Lincoln scored 12 times in the frame.
The Bulldogs will head to Missouri Western for a four-game conference series with the Griffons starting on Friday night in St. Joseph.
Inside the series: Lincoln took three of four in the home and home doubleheaders…Luke Crader hit .571 in three of the games while Kody Stricklin hit .333…as a team, the Bulldogs hit .261 against Blue Tiger pitching but had a team ERA of 8.40…28 of the 42 runs scored by the Blue Tigers were earned…James Johndrow hit .714 for the Blue Tigers with nine RBIs, he was 10-14 with a double, triple and home run…Adam Rush had a team high 11 runs batted in…Lincoln hit .401 as a team and had a 4.94 ERA.
