Box Score | Season Stats

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The baseball Bearcats took advantage of the gusting winds that blew out to left field, setting a new season high with four home runs in a 17-7 win over the Lincoln Blue Tigers. Just on those four long balls alone, SBU was able to score enough runs to knock off Lincoln, bringing in eight runs with homers. The offensive production set new season highs in runs (17), hits (17) and RBI (14) as well.

The 'Cats started playing home run derby in the third inning, when, after a Niko Saladis walk, left fielder Paden Grubbs hit his ninth long shot of the season, a team high, to put SBU up 3-0. The real offensive attack came in the fourth inning however, when the first seven Bearcat batters reached base safely. Justin Barnhart's three-run double cleared the bases early in the fourth and gave the Bearcats a 6-0 lead. Barnhart scored on the next at-bat, when Saladis singled to center. First baseman Justin Crumpley brought in two more with his double to left, and with a 13-batter inning, SBU went up 11-0.

The Bearcats tacked on a few more in the sixth, when Saladis hit his first home run as a Bearcat, scoring two, and making the score 13-1. Later in the inning, Brandon Shepherd came in as a pinch hitter, and in his first plate appearance of the season, hit a towering solo shot to make it 14-1.

Lincoln made a comeback attempt in the seventh, taking advantage of some misplays and a home run of their own, and were able to put up six runs to cut the SBU lead to 14-7. A leadoff walk for the Bearcats and a pinch-hit single from Victor Ramirez set the table, however, for Barnhart to blast a three-run home run to close the door, giving SBU the win by mercy rule. Barnhart ended the day with six RBI, tying the mark for most RBI in a single game in the MIAA this season.

Amid all the offense, SBU pitcher Greg Seay had his best outing of the year, throwing a no-hitter through three innings, and only facing the minimum through four. Seay allowed only two hits and one run through five innings to collect his first win of the year.

With the win, SBU improves to 7-27 on the year. The Bearcats will resume conference play this weekend with a trip to Maryville to face Northwest Missouri State. The four game series starts with a doubleheader this Friday, April 9, starting at 1 pm, followed by another pair of games Saturday, also starting at 1 pm.