Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Bolivar, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University baseball team played a tough #2 Minnesota Mankato team, falling in both games of the double-header 10-5 and 7-2. The Bearcats found themselves in both games, but were unable to come away with a victory.

In game one against the Mavericks, MSU-Mankato jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after the first three and a half innings before the Bearcats responded in the bottom of the fourth. Spencer Blacksher led the inning off with a double to right center, followed by a walk from Jake Vore. Blacksher advanced to third on the next batter, and came home off of an rbi fielder's choice from Ross Wolfe. The Bearcats added one more in the inning off of a Bo Helsel single up the middle to cut the Maverick's lead in half at 4-2.

Minnesota State-Mankato added another three runs over the next two innings to increase their lead to five at 7-2. However, the Bearcats wouldn't back down. In the bottom of the sixth back-to-back singles from Vore and Drew Miller gave the Bearcats two runners on with nobody out. After an SBU out, and a Helsel walk, the Bearcats had the bases loaded when Kyle Jochems blasted a bases clearing double to pull SBU back within two at 7-5. The Bearcats were unable to get back on the scoreboard, and MSU-Mankato added three runs in the final inning, as SBU fell 10-5 in game one.

In game two, MSU-Mankato jumped out to a 1-0 lead after a half inning of play. The Bearcats responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. With one out Chance Wolfe tripled to right center, and was brought home a batter later when Blacksher hit a sacrifice fly to even the game up. A costly error in the 4th brought home four unearned runs for Mankato, pushing their lead to 5-1. The Bearcats got one run back in the bottom of the 5th when Blacksher doubled down the left field line, plating Chance Wolfe, and cutting the lead to 5-2. SBU wasn't able to get any closer, as they fell 7-2 in game two.

Spencer Blacksher went 3-7 on the day with a couple of rbi and a run scored, while Kyle Jochems knocked in a team high 3 rbi on the day.

SBU will return to action when they travel to #19 Central Missouri Friday, February 21 to start a 4-game series against the Mules. Opening pitch of game one is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.