UMSL Stumbles in Opening Weekend

Rivermen Drop Three Games

Conway, Ark. – The Missouri-St. Louis baseball team got off to a rough start to open the season, dropping three games on the weekend. On Saturday, UMSL lost the opener 13-6 to Missouri Western, then lost 15-4 to Central Arkansas. The Rivermen made a better showing on Sunday, but still came up short in a 5-3 loss to Missouri Western.

In the opener, Josh Morgan (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's) got things off on a hot start with a solo home run to lead off the top of the first inning for UMSL. Missouri Western took the lead in the second inning with two runs, and added to that lead with three runs in the fourth and seven runs in the fifth. UMSL cut into the deficit late, getting three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh. Tom Anderson (Bridgeton, Mo./Hazelwood West) had a two-run single in the sixth inning and Derek Becker (Prunedale, Calif./North Salinas) and Matt Rose (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North) each had an RBI single in the seventh.

UMSL grabbed a quick lead against Central Arkansas as well, getting two runs in the top of the first as Josh Morgan led off with a base hit and Adam Whitehead (Festus, Mo./Festus) followed with a two-run homer. Central Arkansas tied the game with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning and took the lead with another run in the second before adding four more runs in the fifth inning. The Rivermen cut into that lead in the sixth as Josh Thomas (Pevely, Mo./Herculaneum) and Steven McCoy (Potosi, Mo./Potosi) each knocked in a run to make it a 7-4 game before UCA added eight runs in the final two innings for the win.

The Rivermen played a closer game on Sunday, eventually falling 5-3 to Missouri Western, who scored all five runs before UMSL got on the scoreboard. Trailing 5-0 going into the last inning, UMSL made things interesting with three runs in their final at bat. Mark Sanders (Creve Coeur, Mo./Parkway North) knocked in the first run with an RBI single. Josh Morgan then knocked in the second run and Sanders later scored on a balk.

The Rivermen will be at home this upcoming weekend. UMSL will host a tournament this weekend with four teams coming in for a round robin weekend of baseball action. Friday and Saturday games (March 4-5) will be played at GMC Stadium in Sauget, Ill., and Sunday games will be played at the UMSL baseball field.