Baseball 4/30/2017 6:24:00 PM

RECAP: Bulldogs Take Two Key Games Before Series Washed Out

Game 1 Box Score (HTML)
Game 2 Box Score (HTML)

LIBERTY, Mo. – Late inning heroics lifted the Truman Baseball team to a doubleheader sweep in day one of their critical four-game series with William Jewell on Friday.

The second half of the series was washed out due to rain on both Saturday and Sunday. The teams tried to relocate to a different venue but Mother Nature had other plans.

The Bulldogs will finish the regular season at home on Friday and Saturday hosting Rockhurst University. Truman is one game back of William Jewell in the conference standings for the final spot in the GLVC Postseason tournament. While Truman hosts the Hawks, who are two games behind, Jewell finishes on the road at division leader, Quincy.

In game one, after leading 6-1, the Cardinals stormed back with a seven-run sixth inning to take an 8-6 lead on the Bulldogs. A pair of long balls, one from Evan Kayser (2) in the seventh tied the game and Jason Priest (7) in the eighth stood up as the game winner in a 10-8 decision.

The Bulldogs were down 2-0 to William Jewell entering their final two at bats in game two. A two-out rally, capped by a double from Dave Gambino and a two-run single by Jon Lyons gave the Bulldogs the lead and they expanded on it with two more runs in the seventh inning for a 5-2 win.

Peter Young notched saves number six and seven on the season and now has 21 for his career by preserving the leads in each of the game's final innings.

Game 1 Recap:
Jason Priest knocked out home runs on consecutive at bats and went 3-for-6 in the game as the Bulldogs took a punch from William Jewell but battled back for a 10-8 victory.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the first. Mason King belted his second home run of the season to tie the game in the third inning.

The Bulldogs looked to take a commanding lead in the middle part of the game. Priest hit a one-out double and scored on Nick Agliolo's double to right center. Dave Gambino followed with an RBI single to right and Truman led 3-1.

In their next at bat, Evan Kayser singled and was standing on second base following a balk as they next two Bulldog hitters were retired. Charlie Kreh got the clutch single to plate Kayser and Priest followed with a bomb over the left field fence for a 6-1 lead.

Garrett McKinzie and Brad Jelinek went back-to-back to start the Cardinal half of the sixth inning and an error and double chased starter Bryan Clark from the hill. Kent Frantz was greeted with three straight hits and all of a sudden the Bulldogs were trailing 8-6.

Agliolo reached on an error in the seventh and with two outs, Kayser delivered a huge home run to tie the game back up.

Frantz set down the heart of the Cardinal lineup in order and Priest led off the eight with his second straight home run to put the Bulldogs back on top.

Truman added an insurance run as Charlie Kreh hit a sac fly in the ninth.

Frantz gave way to Peter Young and after a leadoff single, Young got a pair of strikeouts sandwiching a shallow popup to second to close the door.

Frantz got his second win of the year and 13^th for his career to move into a tie for third on the all-time pitching wins list with Matt Leara (1991-94).

Game 2 Recap:
The Bulldogs avoided an early disaster then scored five times in the final two innings to pull out a 5-2 win to take the nightcap.

The Cardinals left a pair of runners on base in the first and two more in the second before breaking the seals and scoring twice in the third for a 2-0 lead.

Jewell had the bases loaded in the fourth but the Bulldog bullpen got two straight strikeouts, one from Tyler Blackington and another from Matt Tomtez to get out of the game.

Tometz picked off a base runner to end the fifth.

Cardinal starter Eric Smith had allowed three hits and had retired eight in a row with two outs in the sixth inning before Chris Iliopoulos got a single to center. Nick Agliolo followed with a single and Dave Gambino doubled to put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard. Jon Lyons had a two run single to give Truman the lead 3-2.

In the seventh, Evan Kayser singled and Mason King got an infield single to put the first two on. Brendan Trimble walked to load the bases. Charlie Kreh got an RBI as he grounded to the pitcher, whose only play was to first base allowing Kayser to score. Jason Priest was intentionally walked to load them up again and Adam Stolley lifted a sac fly to center scoring King for a 5-2 lead.

Peter Young allowed a two-out single but retired the final hitter for his second save of the day. It was the second time in his career that he got two saves in one day. The last was April 2, 2015 against Drury. Tometz got his first win of the year following Blackington and starter Alex Hoffmann to the mound.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Nick Agliolo: SS/2B; 6' 1"; Senior; L/R

#11 Bryan Clark: LHP; 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; L/L

#3 Kent Frantz: RHP; 5' 11"; Junior; R/R

#6 Dave Gambino: OF/1B; 6' 2"; Senior; L/L

#31 Alex Hoffmann: RHP; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#34 Chris Iliopoulos: 3B; 5' 9"; Senior; L/R

#33 Mason King: OF; 5' 10"; Sophomore; L/L

#24 Charlie Kreh: 1B; 6' 2"; Sophomore; L/R

#8 Jon Lyons: C; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#26 Jason Priest: C/3B; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#27 Adam Stolley: OF; 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman; L/R

#7 Brendan Trimble: 3B/OF; 6' 2"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#5 Nick Agliolo
: 6' 1"; Senior; L/R
: SS/2B

#11 Bryan Clark
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; L/L
: LHP

#3 Kent Frantz
: 5' 11"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#6 Dave Gambino
: 6' 2"; Senior; L/L
: OF/1B

#31 Alex Hoffmann
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#34 Chris Iliopoulos
: 5' 9"; Senior; L/R
: 3B

#33 Mason King
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; L/L
: OF

#24 Charlie Kreh
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; L/R
: 1B

#8 Jon Lyons
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: C

#26 Jason Priest
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: C/3B

#27 Adam Stolley
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman; L/R
: OF

#7 Brendan Trimble
: 6' 2"; Junior; L/R
: 3B/OF