Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Bolivar, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University baseball team completed a series sweep over Fort Hays State on Friday in dramatic fashion, winning both games in the bottom of the ninth inning. SBU claimed a 12-11 game one victory, while taking game two 3-2, as the Bearcats improve to 13-6 (4-5 MIAA) on the season.

In game one the Bearcats were the first to strike in the bottom of the first inning. Chance Wolfe reached on an error with one out in the inning, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch coupled with a Hunter Hisky walk. Hisky then proceeded to steal second, and the Bearcats plated their first run on a FHSU balk. After the second out in the inning Sean Murley was hit by a pitch, and a Nelson Muniz walk loaded the bases. Andrew Meier had a 13-pitch at bat which resulted in a walk, bringing home Hisky, and giving SBU a 2-0 lead. Fort Hays responded with 9 unanswered runs over the next four innings, as the Bearcats trailed 9-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Muniz hit a one out double to right field, followed by a single from Meier to put runners on second and third. Clint Jack then hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Muniz, and an rbi single from Cody Massey plated Meier as SBU trailed 9-4. Fort Hays State would get another run back in the top of the sixth, but Southwest Baptist continued to chip away at the lead in the bottom half of the inning. With one out in the inning, Hisky doubled to right field followed by a four-pitch walk to Jovany Urbieta. Murley then hit a three-run homerun to left field, cutting the Fort Hays lead in half at 10-7. In the bottom of the seventh SBU got another run back after Massey led the inning off with a walk, followed by an rbi double by Caleb Sneed. However, Fort Hays would tack on another run in the top of the ninth as the Bearcats trailed 11-8 heading into the bottom half of the inning.

Three straight walks by Massey, Sneed, and Wolfe loaded the bases to kick off the Bearcats' ninth inning. Hisky hit a sacrifice fly to right field, pulling SUBU within two at 11-9, before Urbieta drew another walk to load the bases. Murley then hit a two-rbi single through the left side, tying the game at 11-11 before Meier knocked in the game winning run as SBU claimed the 12-11 game one victory. Drew Wagner came out of the bullpen to pick up the victory, throwing 2.1 innings while allowing one unearned run to go along with four strikeouts.

In game two of the double-header, the Bearcats and Tigers were in a pitcher's dual. Through the first six innings of play, both teams recorded three hits each as SBU and FHSU entered the seventh tied 0-0. Fort Hays broke the tie in the top of the seventh, taking a 1-0 lead, before the Bearcats responded in the bottom of the eighth. With one out in the inning Massey tripled to right field and came home one batter later on a Jack double to left center, tying the game at 1-1. Jack then came home two batters later on a Wolfe single to left field giving SBU a 2-1 lead. FHSU came back to tie the game in the top of the ninth, but the lead was short lived as Murley blasted a walkoff solo homerun on the first pitch of the at-bat as SBU completed the series sweep with a 3-2 victory. Chance Wolfe recorded the final out in the ninth inning to earn his fourth victory on the season, while starting pitcher Derek Galvin threw 8.0 innings scattering four hits.

On the day Sean Murley led the Bearcats going 5-9 with 2 homeruns and 6 rbi, while Caleb Sneed collected 5 hits and Andrew Meier 4 in the two victories.

The Bearcats will return to action on Friday, March 17 when they travel to Northeastern State to open up a three-game series against the RiverHawks. Opening pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. from Tahlequah, Oklahoma.