UMSL Splits with Northern Kentucky

Soaib Knocks in Game-Winning Run in 10th Inning

Sauget, Ill. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team split a doubleheader with Northern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon, winning the opening game 5-4 in 10 innings but dropped the second game 5-4.

Northern Kentucky got off to a quick start, getting a single run in the top of the first and added three more runs in the second inning for a 4-0 lead. UMSL clawed back in the game in the third inning with three runs of their own. Bryan Smith (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) led off with a base hit and Jeff Luksza (Imperial, Mo./Seckman) followed with a walk. Adam Whitehead (Festus, Mo./Festus) then hit a three-run homer, his third of the season, to pull the Rivermen within one run. UMSL would tie the game the very next inning after Scott Lavelock (Pleasant Hill, Mo./Pleasant Hill) led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4. The scheduled seven-inning game was knotted through from there on until UMSL rallied in the tenth. Josh Morgan (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's) led off with a double off the wall in left and moved to third on a groundout. NKU then intentionally walked the bases loaded and Tony Soaib (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's) lined a base hit up the middle to bring home the game-winning run to give UMSL the 5-4 win. Josh Morgan picked up the win, pitching 4.1 innings in relief and struck out eight while allowing just one hit.

In the second game, NKU took advantage of some early walks to score four runs in the first inning and added a single run in the second for a 5-0 lead. UMSL would chip away at the lead, getting a run in the third on an RBI single by Matt Tesson (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North). UMSL got two more runs in the sixth, getting the second run on an RBI single by Jeff Luksza to pull within two runs. Josh Morgan then led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, but UMSL could not rally to tie the score, falling 5-4 in the second game.

The Rivermen are now 4-8 on the season and 3-6 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.