Leavenworth, Kan.—A sixth-inning rally in game one of Friday's season-opening double header brought USM within a run, but the Spires could not find the tying hit in a 4-3 seven-inning loss to Dordt (Iowa) on Friday afternoon in Leavenworth, Kansas.
The decisive stretch came in the middle innings, when Dordt put up three runs across the third and fourth. The Defenders first basemen Templeton delivered the game's biggest swing in the top of the third, drilling a two-run double to open the scoring and stake Dordt to a 2-0 lead. An inning later, Dordt worked a bases-loaded walk to force in another run and extend the deficit to 3-1.
The Spires answered quickly in the bottom of the third. After a single by
Maverick Rockers, the Spires manufactured their first run when Rockers came around to score on a sequence that ended with
Bryce Turner being caught stealing, trimming the Dordt lead to 2-1. That early response kept USM within striking distance as the game moved into the late innings.
Dordt added what proved to be a crucial insurance run in the sixth. DU's Harris, who finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a triple, opened the frame with extra bases and later scored on a double from Vann to make it 4-1. The Spires made their push in the bottom half of the sixth. Trailing by three, Saint Mary put runners aboard and turned to
Collin Pitzer with two outs. Pitzer came through with a clutch two-run single to bring the Spires within 4-3, giving Saint Mary momentum heading into the final inning and bringing the tying run to the plate in their last at-bat.
Saint Mary's bid to complete the rally carried into the bottom of the seventh, but Dordt's defense held. With the potential tying run in the balance,
Ben Brandt grounded out to second base to end the game and seal the one-run decision in favor of the Defenders.
Offensively, the Spires out-hit Dordt 9-8 and did not commit an error in the field, while stranding only five runners on base in the one-run loss. Dordt's pitching staff limited Saint Mary to three runs and six strikeouts across seven innings, with starter Spronk working 5.0 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk on before turning it over to the bullpen.
Game two of the day saw the Spires grabbing an early lead but could not withstand a pair of big innings from the Defenders, falling 10-2 in seven innings.
The Spires struck first in the bottom of the first inning, cashing in an early scoring chance.
Bryce Turner reached and came around to score when
John Caime delivered an RBI single, giving Saint Mary a 1-0 advantage and immediate momentum on its home field.
Dordt answered with a three-run third inning to swing control. After putting a runner aboard, the Defenders took the lead for good when Oreskes launched a two-run home run, scoring Vann for a 3-1 edge. Dordt added another run in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Kerr that pushed the deficit to 4-1.
USM continued to battle and trimmed the margin in the fifth. Turner again set the table, and
Saul Vazquez-Alvarado came through with a triple to drive him in, cutting the score to 4-2 and briefly putting the Spires back within striking distance. Saint Mary finished with five hits on the day and left seven runners on base, creating traffic but struggling to find the timely hit needed to keep pace.
The decisive stretch came in the sixth, when Dordt broke the game open with a six-run frame. With the bases loaded, Demmers was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Harris then delivered the biggest swing of the inning, ripping a two-base hit that drove in three more as Dordt's lead ballooned. A wild pitch and an RBI fielder's choice added two additional runs, making it 10-2.
Spires were limited to two runs on five hits and committed two errors but did receive solid early production from the top of the order, highlighted by Turner's two runs scored and extra-base pop from Vazquez-Alvarado. The Spire pitching staff recorded five strikeouts over seven innings but was hurt by the Defenders' power and the crooked number in the sixth.
USM will be right back at it tomorrow afternoon with another double header against the Defenders to finish out their opening weekend. The first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. with game two to follow shortly after the conclusion of the first.
