Final score- Baptist Bible College 4, Dallas Christian College 3
Location- BBC (US Ballpark) Ozark, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri- The Crusaders drew first blood as they scored two runs in the opening inning.
Landon Richards, the starting pitcher for the Patriots, worked out of numerous jams in his 5 and a third innings of work.
With the Patriots trailing 2-0, the team finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning when
Sterling Jackson singled.
Landry Delgado moved him over to second base on a ground out.
Tate Wheeler then singled S. Jackson over to third base.
Grant Merryman followed that with an RBI single, but the rally stalled with BBC trailing 2-1.
The Patriots tied the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kam Grant led off with a single. He advanced to second base on a balk. With one out,
Jayton Cromer made it first and second base Patriots, with a base on balls. S. Jackson loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Delgado then lofted a fly ball to centerfield that was deep enough to earn a sacrifice fly, scoring Grant.
BBC continued their one run per inning scoring quota in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead.
Grant Merryman walked.
Dylan Blehm singled to make it first and second base with no one out. Merryman was lost in a pickoff move.
Haden Parton followed that up by reaching on an error by the third baseman. Kam Grant walked to load the bases and
Gabe Terry was brought into run for Parton as a courtesy runner. Meanwhile,
Kyle Brattin was brought in to pinch run for Blehm. The Patriots finally plated a run on a sacrifice fly by
Drew Wheeler, but that would be it for the inning.
Dallas Christian countered with a run in the top of the sixth inning, chasing Richards for reliever
Trenton Viviano. Viviano limited the damage to the tying run.
The Patriots took the lead for good, 4-3, in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs already,
Tate Wheeler got the rally going with a single. Merryman then sent a gapper double that scored T. wheeler and the eventual winning run.
Viviano gave up a walk and a single to the Crusaders in the top of the seventh in, but then a pitcher's best friend, the double play, ended the game.
Highlights-
- Tate Wheeler, 2 for 4, 1 run scored.
- Haden Parton, 1 for 3.
- Grant Merryman, 2 for 3, a walk, and 2 RBIs.
- Drew Wheeler, 0 for 1, a sacrifice fly, a walk, and 1 RBI.
- Landry Delgado, 0 for 2, a sacrifice fly, and 1 RBI.
Up next- The Patriots host another doubleheader on Sunday, March 26, against Dallas Christian. Game times are tentatively set for noon and 2:30 pm.
