Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Kirksville, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University baseball split a double-header against Truman State on Tuesday, with the Bearcats claiming a 9-5 game two victory after falling 1-2 in game one. The Bearcats now move to 11-17 (11-12 MIAA) while Truman State now stands at 7-22 (7-21 MIAA).

In the second game of the double-header, Truman State jumped out to a 1-0 lead after one. The Bearcats would get their bats going in the third and tie the game up at 1-1. After a one out walk by Christian Binger, and a stolen base, Zach Pirrello singled to center field to bring home Binger and tie the game up.

The Bearcats continued to push in the fourth inning. Spencer Blacksher led the inning off with a single up the middle, and then back-to-back walks from Ross Wolfe and Jared Robillard would load the bases for Will Swofford. Swofford hit a sacrifice fly to put the Bearcats up 2-1, followed by an rbi groundout from Herrick to extend the lead to two. Later in the inning, Binger would double to left field and Pirrello would hit an rbi single to center field to give SBU a 5-1 lead.

After a scoreless fifth inning, SBU would put three more runs on the scoreboard in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Pirrello would knock home two more runs with a single to left field, followed by an rbi single from Bo Helsel, to give the Bearcats an 8-1 lead. SBU would add one more in the eighth off of an rbi single from Robillard to take a 9-1 lead. The Bearcats were able to hold off any surge by Truman State, as SBU went on to claim game two 9-5. Justin Pasichnyk picked up the victory for SBU, pitching 6.2 innings allowing three runs (two earned) while also striking out six.

In the first game of the day, Truman State went up 1-0 after the first inning, but the Bearcats responded with a run of their own in the top half of the second. After a leadoff walk by Ross Wolfe, he was sacrificed over to second, singled over to third by Christian Binger, and would come home on an rbi fielder's choice by Josh Herrick to tie the game up at 1-1. Truman State would push the go-ahead run across the plate in the bottom of the third, as SBU was unable to score any more runs as they fell in game one 1-2. Zach Winchester had a solid game on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits to go along with seven strikeouts.

On the day, Zach Pirrello knocked in three runners by going 3-5 in game two of the double-header to lead the way for the Bearcats. Jarod Robillard also collected three hits, going 3-4 with a couple of runs scored and an rbi, while Christian Binger went a combined 3-5 with three runs scored, an rbi, and three walks on the day.

SBU will return home for a three-game series against Northwest Missouri. Game one of the series is set to begin on Friday, April 5 with a 3:00 p.m. start time from Dodson Field in Bolivar, Missouri.