OZARK, Mo.- Drury's opening round game in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament came unraveled in the top of the seventh inning as Indianapolis scored eight runs to take away a 4-2 Panthers lead and win 10-4 on Thursday at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.
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The Panthers (29-22) will play Friday at 9 a.m. against Bellarmine in an elimination game. Indianapolis (29-21) advances to play Maryville on Friday at 4 p.m. in the tournament's second round.
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Drury had a 4-2 lead in the seventh when the Greyhounds sent 13 men to the plate in an eight-run, seven-hit frame. Each of Indianapolis' hits were singles, and Drury pitching walked three batters in the inning.
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The Panthers trailed 2-0 early but took the lead in the bottom of the second scoring three runs as they took advantage of a Greyhounds error and two bases-loaded walks. Drury added a run an inning later on an RBI-double by
Bayler Hinz.
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"We needed to compete better when we had men on base," said Panthers head coach
Scott Nasby. "When you have a lead, you need to understand that that lead is never safe and you have to pull away in the middle innings."
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Drury stranded 12 runners in the loss as they had seven hits and could not fully take advantage of six walks issued by Indianapolis starter Jake Sprinkle. Sprinkle (6-3) went eight innings allowing seven hits, four runs, and three earned runs with six walks and seven strikeouts.
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Austin Simms (7-5) took the loss for Drury but exited the game with the Panthers in front 4-2. He struck out six batters through 6.1 innings.
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Clayton Engel led Drury at the plate going 3 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, and an RBI.
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Storm Joop went 2 for 5 for the Greyhounds with a home run and three runs batted in.
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Drury must win tomorrow to stay alive in the tournament as they face a Bellarmine team that entered the tournament with a 34-16 record. The Knights lost to Maryville 5-2 in the opening round on Thursday.
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"It still takes four wins," said Nasby. "Our approach is the same. We're just in a single-elimination tournament now."Â
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#allweDUiswin
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