OZARK, Mo. –The Drury baseball Panthers defeated UMSL 13-10 to take two of three games in their GLVC opening series on Sunday at US Baseball Park.
Drury wasted no time getting on the board with four runs on four hits and an error in the opening frame vs. the Tritons. UMSL would pull to within a run in the top of the third inning on a pair of RBI singles and an RBI fielders choice.
The Panthers pushed their lead to 8-3 with three runs on four hits in the bottom half of the fourth, but UMSL scored two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Drury lead to 8-5. DU added a run in the bottom half of the fifth on an RBI walk by
Brant Schaffitzel.
UMSL evened the score up with four runs on three hits in the top of the sixth. An RBI triple in the right center gap by
Clayton Engel scored
Jackson Dierenfeldt and Schaffitzel in the seventh to put the Panthers back on top 11-9.
Nikko Calabro followed up with an RBI base knock to right also that scored Engel. A Tritons throwing error led to the Panthers fourth run of the inning to make it a 13-9 after seven innings.
UMSL scored their last run in the top of the eighth but could draw no closer in the 13-10 final.
Michael Barnes (2-0) got the win in two innings of action and
Bayler Hinz earned his team-leading fourth save of the year while also going 3-for-5 from the plate with two runs and an RBI. Dierfenfeldt went 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI from his leadoff spot.
The Drury baseball team returns to action on Tuesday, when they will host Missouri Southern in a singe nine inning game at US Baseball Park with first pitch set for 4 p.m.
