Olathe, Kan.—MidAmerica Nazarene used a series of big innings to pull away from the Spires in a 24-4 loss for USM on Wednesday afternoon in a single game non-con match up at Robbie Jones Field in Olathe, Kansas.

Saint Mary stayed within striking distance early, cutting an early 3-0 deficit to 3-2 in the top of the second. The Spires manufactured both runs without the benefit of a big swing, as Daxton Macias brought home a run with a ground out and John Caime forced in another with a bases-loaded walk. That response briefly slowed the Pioneers momentum after a three-run homer from Morales in the bottom of the first had put the hosts in front.

MidAmerica answered in the bottom half of the second with a two-run homer from Rowley to make it 5-2 and continued to add on in the middle innings. The USM pitching staff battled against an opponent that finished with 18 hits and 11 walks, as the Pioneers scored in eight different frames and matched the Spires' power output with five home runs of their own.

The Spires generated another push in the sixth. Trailing 7-2, Saint Mary cut into the deficit when Jaxon Sloan lined an RBI single to bring the score to 7-3. The momentum was short-lived, however, as MNU erupted for six runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Morales and a two-run homer from Lugo, to break the game open at 13-3.

The Spire offense continued to compete, drawing six walks and getting on base 13 times via walk or hit-by-pitch, but struggled to cash in consistently while leaving 15 runners on base. USM added their final run in the top of the ninth, when Ethan Howard delivered an RBI single to make it 24-4 and cap the scoring. USM finished with six hits and matched MNU with five home runs on the day, but the Pioneers' timely swings and traffic on the bases proved crucial in the final tally.

Defensively, the Spires were charged with just one error, but the extended innings and deep counts allowed the Pioneers to string together multiple rallies, including seven runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth. The USM pitching staff recorded six strikeouts but was hurt by the combination of free passes and extra-base hits as the Pioneers steadily extended the lead.

USM will come back home and resume KCAC action this Friday, March 20^th and Saturday, March 21^st with a three-game series against Bethany College. The single game on Friday will kick-off at 4:00 p.m. at the USM ball fields with Saturday's double header slated for 1:00 p.m.