Schmitt
Terry Griffin
7
Winner Drury DRURY 21-14
6
Truman TRUMAN 9-25
Winner
Drury DRURY
21-14
7
Final
6
Truman TRUMAN
9-25
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Drury DRURY 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 4 7 13 0
Truman TRUMAN 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 6 10 1

W: Thomas, Kaleb (5-1) L: Isaac Epp (2-2) S: Mercer, Trayce (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Eric Doennig, Associate AD - Media Relations

Panthers Withstand Truman's Ninth-Inning Rally for Series-Opening Victory

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — Kaleb Thomas tossed 8.0 strong innings and the Panther offense rallied for seven runs over the final three innings to lift Drury baseball to a 7-6 victory over Truman State in the opening contest of the two clubs Great Lakes Valley Conference series Friday afternoon at Bulldog Baseball Park.

The Panthers (21-14, 12-5 GLVC) rallied from a two-run deficit with a three-run seventh inning, then added four more tallies in the top of the ninth to take what appeared to be a comfortable 7-2 lead into the home half of the inning.

But the Bulldogs (9-25, 3-18 GLVC) nearly wiped that margin out on Reed Drabant's grand slam, then loaded the bases via a walk, a pair of singles and a hit batsman. But Drury reliever Trayce Mercer came up big on a 3-2 offering to Evan Davis, getting the Bulldog cleanup hitter to swing and miss at a third strike for the final out of the contest and his first save as a Panther.

Thomas (5-1) delivered another strong starting effort on the mound for Drury, allowing just a pair of first-inning Truman runs over the first eight frames. The junior right-hander fanned nine batters and scattered six hits over the first eight innings to keep the Panthers in the game.

Truman took a 1-0 advantage in the first on Tyler Tieman's RBI-single, giving starting pitcher Isaac Epp (2-3) all the offense he would need to carry the lead into the seventh inning. Davis doubled the margin with a two-out solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.

But Drury's offense awakened in the seventh, with the first three Panther hitters reaching safely. Jackson Crider was hit by a pitch to start the rally, before back-to-back hits by Logan Reidelberger and Connor Bain, coupled with a Bulldog error, produced the first two DU runs of the day. Next, Greydon Miller's sacrifice fly to left brought home Bain with the go-ahead run.

Thomas, who registered his fourth consecutive outing with at least eight strikeouts, struck out the side in the seventh then retired the side in order in the eighth to send the game to the ninth with DU still maintaining its one-run lead.

The Panthers erupted for four runs in the ninth, with singles from Reidelberger and Miller setting up Xander Schmitt's pinch-hit three-run homer. Drury wasn't quite finished, using three straight singles from Caleb Briggs, Colin McClure and Landon Willbrand to tack on an additional tally for a five-run cushion.

 Miller led the Panthers with a 3-for-3 day at the plate, while Reidelberger finished 2-for-4 to spearhead DU's 13-hit attack.

LOOKING AHEAD
Drury and Truman State will square off in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday (April 11) at Bulldog Baseball Park.

For all the latest information on Drury baseball, visit DruryPanthers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Panthers on X and Instagram.

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