C-SC rally falls short in season-opening loss to nationally ranked Baker

CANTON, Mo. — Culver-Stockton College quarterback Jase Orndorff failed to connect with running back Jordan Grant on a two-point conversion pass with six seconds left in regulation as nationally ranked Baker University held on for a 38-36 victory Saturday night at Ellison Poulton Stadium.

Mateen Johnson scored on a 24-yard pass from Orndorff to pull C-SC within two points and set up the potential game-tying conversion. C-SC started the final drive with 1:11 remaining and drove 66 yards on nine plays.

Baker, ranked seventh in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Poll, jumped out to a 19-3 first-half lead on the strength of two JD Woods rushing touchdowns, and an 18-yard touchdown pass from Marco Aguinaga to Darian Lewis.

A Michael Velasco 41-yard field goal accounted for the first three points of the season for C-SC. Grant added a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter to make it 19-9 by halftime.

The only score of the third quarter was by C-SC, which took the second half kickoff and marched 62 yards on six plays culminating on a 58-yard catch and run by Isaiah Eppinger to make it 19-16.

Lewis caught his second touchdown pass of the game, this time from Woods on a halfback pass, on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Baker a 26-16 lead.

However, C-SC answered on the ensuing kickoff as Antonius Hurd picked up a low, line drive kick at the 8-yard line and raced up the left sideline for a 92-yard kickoff return.

C-SC forced a punt on Baker’s next possession and took its only lead of the game on a 54-yard run by Grant and a 30-26 advantage.

But the lead didn’t last long as Woods scored on a 1-yard run on the ensuing possession and then seemingly put the game away with a 7-yard run with 71 seconds left on the clock.

However, Baker missed the extra point, the fourth missed extra point of the night by kicker Zachary Westfall, to give C-SC a chance to tie at the end of regulation.

Grant finished with 139 yards on 21 carries, while Orndorff finished his first game as C-SC’s quarterback with 266 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions. He was 20-of-35 passing, but was sacked four times.

Dalton Huffman led the C-SC defense with nine solo tackles and 11 tackles overall.