Two critical errors lead to early 9-0 deficit as C-SC baseball team is eliminated from Heart tournament

OZARK, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton College baseball team made two errors in the first three innings, leading to five unearned runs in an 11-5 loss in its elimination game with Mount Mercy University on Friday afternoon at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament.

The loss ends the Wildcats’ season with a 21-25 record. 

After scoring two runs in the first inning, Mount Mercy extended its lead with three unearned runs in the second inning. In the third inning, the first two batters reached for Mount Mercy before a throwing error on a possible double play ball led to four more Mustangs runs overall and a 9-0 lead after three innings.

The Wildcats’ bullpen stopped the bleeding. Four relievers held the Mustangs to six hits and two runs over the last six innings of the game. However, C-SC’s offense had just three hits through five innings.

C-SC collected its first two hits and loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning, but a couple of groundouts ended the frame without a run.

The Wildcats finally broke through in the sixth inning when Tristan Meny was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single by Bryan Barretto and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacksin Day.

C-SC added four more runs in the eighth inning on three hits and two walks. 

The offense was led by Meny and Barreto, who each collected two hits.