RUSSELVILLE, Ark. – The Missouri Western baseball team didn’t have much trouble getting on base Sunday at Arkansas Tech but bringing runners home proved challenging in a 7-6 game three loss to the Wonder Boys.

The Griffons piled up 11 hits but left 16 runners on base, going 5-23 with runners on and 3-14 with runners in scoring position. Missouri Western stayed off the board until the top of the fourth, scoring three, but Arkansas Tech added five it its half of the fourth. The Griffons would mount one more run in the fifth and two in the sixth but the late rally came up short.

David Glaude opened the fifth with a solo homer to right and Brandon Downs brought two home with a ground out to first that put MWSU up 3-2 headed to the bottom of the fifth. A big inning from the Wonder Boys in their half of the inning culminated and a three-run double that put Arkansas Tech back up 7-3.

Nick Gawley hit a two out, RBI single to center in the sixth that got Missouri Western closer. Downs was the first to score in the seventh, coming home on a bases loaded wild pitch with one out. Orencio Fisher picked up a sacrifice fly to pull the Griffons within one on the pitch after Downs scored. Glaude would follow with a walk, bringing Cosimo Cannella to the plate with the tying run on third, bases loaded, two out. Cannella grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Conner Schwienbart took the loss. He pitched into the fifth, giving up five runs on nine hits. The transfer walked two and struck out one. Glaude was as triple short of hitting for the cycle, going 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Downs was 2-4 with two driven in and Gawley went 2-5.

The loss dropped MWSU to 1-2 on the season. The Griffons return to Arkansas next weekend, playing four games in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

— MWSU Athletics —