KIRKSVILLE, Mo.—The Truman Baseball team got its second 3-1 series win of the season as they split a Sunday doubleheader, falling 4-2 in game one and winning 6-1 in game two. In game one Noah Gerritson (1-2) picked up the win while Michael Daggett (1-5) took the loss and in game two Alex Leary (2-3) threw seven innings with just one run allowed to pick up the win while Kaleb Schulist (0-1) took the loss.
Game One
Neither team scored in the first two innings of the game, with UWP stranding two runners and Truman stranding one. Finally in the third UWP got two runs with a hit batter, a double and single that scored the first two runners.
Truman had a chance to answer in the bottom of the third as Dylan Thompson led off with a walk, followed by a double from Sam Smith that fell just short of a home run. Later Tal Dean was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, and then with two outs Jack Owens singled to right to bring Thompson in but Owens was thrown out trying to go second to end the inning.
A solo homer in the fourth and a sac fly in the fifth put UWP back up 4-1. Truman was unable to capitalize on a one out double by Simon Murray in the fifth and went down 1-2-3 in the sixth. Heading into the bottom of the seventh, Truman still had a chance. Luke Turner led off with single to left, then Thompson singled through the left side. Dakota Spicer, pinch hitting for Smith, walked to load the bases. With one out, Dean hit a sac fly to center to make it 4-2. With two outs and two on, the heart of the order came up for Truman but was unable to score again.
Game Two
Leary struck out the side in the top of the first, then went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. But in the third, a walk and a bunt single got Leary into some trouble. A double steal put two runners in scoring position and a walk loaded the bases. Truman conceded the run in a groundball on the infield to pick up the second out of the inning. A walk loaded the bases again but Leary got an inning ending strikeout to get out the jam.
In the bottom of the fourth, Dean opened up by reaching on an error. Holden Missey then doubled down the left field line to move Dean to third. Owens came up to the plate and grounded out to shortstop but Dean was able to come in and put the Bulldogs on the board.
Leary got out of another jam in the fifth, with two outs a single and back to back steals followed by a walk put runners on the corners. But a fielder's choice got Truman out the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Truman did their damage. Spicer opened with a double down the left field line, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Jake Schneider was hit by a pitch then stole second. A one out single by Murray scored Spicer to put Truman up 2-1. Dean followed with a double to right center, bringing in Schneider. With two outs, Owens singled to center to bring in Murray and Dean; but was thrown out at second to end the inning. But the Bulldogs now led 5-1.
In the top of the sixth, after a leadoff hit batter Schneider engineered a double play throwing out the lead runner at second, and then shortstop Justin Maloney threw out the batter at first. Tucker Olson took over for Leary at the top of the eighth, allowing one hit in seven batters faced over two innings. In the bottom of the eighth, Truman struck for one more as Owens led off with a walk and then Kevin Donohue pinch ran. He stole second and then moved on a flyout by Will Fromm and came in on a sac fly by Turner to make it 6-1.
For the weekend, Dean hit .545 with six hits in 11 at bats and three RBI. Owens collected eight RBI, and had six hits in 13 at bats. Bulldog pitchers had 31 strikeouts, including a career high ten from Leary.
Truman will head back on the road this coming weekend as they take on Missouri S&T in Rolla this coming weekend.
