UMSL Slugs Past Bellarmine

Morgan Knocks in Six RBIs in Second Game

St. Louis, Mo. – The UMSL baseball team split a doubleheader with Bellarmine on Sunday, losing the first game 8-3, then slugging past the Knights in the second game 16-6.

Bellarmine got on the board quickly in the first game, scoring two unearned runs in the first inning and adding another run in the second for a 3-0 lead. UMSL would get two runs back in the bottom of the second, one coming on an RBI double by Tony Grana (Ballwin, Mo./Lafayette). The Knights would add to their lead with two more runs in the third and another run in the fourth to lead 6-2. Logan Hughes (Walnut Shade, Mo./Branson) had an RBI single in the fifth for the Rivermen but Bellarmine would add two more runs in the sixth for the 8-3 win.

The Rivermen then came out swinging in the second game, belting out 18 hits in a 16-6 victory. UMSL starter Blake Burnside (Cardwell, Mo./Southland) kept the Bellarmine hitters in check by striking out seven through the first three innings. In the bottom of the third, UMSL would get some runs on the board, scoring three times that inning, including a two-run single by Jonathan Mercer (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan). The Knights would finally get on the board in the fourth with two runs, and would then tie the game with a solo homer from Marcus Bickwermer in the fifth to make it a 3-3 game. The Rivermen would take the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Josh Morgan (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary’s) hit a bases loaded, two-run single for a 5-3 advantage.

UMSL then poured it on, scoring five runs in the sixth inning. Logan Hughes had a two-run double in that inning and Josh Morgan belted a two-run homer down the left field line, his third home run of the season. Bellarmine would score three runs in the seventh inning off the UMSL bullpen to make the game interesting, but the Rivermen responded right back with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Tony Grana knocked in the first run of the inning with an RBI single and Josh Morgan came through again with another two-run single. The Rivermen then scored two more runs in the eighth inning for the 16-6 final.

Josh Morgan had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-4 in the first game, and going 4-for-6 with one run and six RBIs in the second game. Jonathan Mercer and Tony Grana each had four hits in the second game as well, as Mercer added four three runs scored and four RBIs. Scott Sanders scored five runs in the second game as well

The Rivermen are now 24-19-1 on the season and 19-11 in the GLVC. UMSL will be at home again on Wednesday for a doubleheader against Southern Indiana beginning at 12 noon. UMSL then hosts a big conference doubleheader over the weekend, with a doubleheader on Saturday and Sunday at 12 noon against league leading Wisconsin-Parkside.