WICHITA, Kan. - The University of Saint Mary baseball team and Friends University battled it out in 16 innings today in their series finale, where the Spires came out on top 8-7.

The Spires are now 11-21 overall and 8-17 in the KCAC.

Friends started the scoring with two runs in the first inning, but the Spires tagged the Falcons for three runs in the third frame. Matt Ladd scored on a double by Daunte Freeman before Freeman and Ashton Findley later scored on a Falcons' error. Friends would rebound with two runs in the bottom of the third inning and another run in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead.

Saint Mary then struck for a run in the seventh inning after Daniel Gonzalez hit a solo home run to left field on the first pitch - his first home run of the season. The Spires offense continued to roll in the eighth inning when they put up three runs to take a 7-5 lead. Glbert Rondon and Peyton Garvin led off the inning with two hits. Troy Hughes was then hit by a pitch as Rondon scored, before Garvin scored on a squeeze bunt. Ladd would later hit an RBI-groundout to score Brayden Carr. Friends would score a run in the bottom of the eighth before tying the game in the ninth to send the game to extra innings.

Neither team would find offense until the 16th inning when the Spires cashed in. Freeman would lead off the inning with a single before advancing to second base on a bunt. Rondon then singled to left field to bring around Freeman. Saint Mary was then able to shut down the Falcons in the bottom half to solidfy the win.

Sergio Valenzuela picked up the win for the Spires. Three different Spires had three hits, while Garvin and Gonzales picked up two RBI.

UP NEXT
Saint Mary returns home for a matchup with York College tomorrow at 2 p.m.