Atchison, KS – In a back-and-forth battle on the road, the University of Saint Mary Spires baseball team dropped a close 10-9 decision to the Benedictine Ravens on Wednesday afternoon. Despite a strong offensive showing, the Spires now hold an 8-19 overall record and remain at 6-11 in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) play.
The Spires' offense came out firing, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Freshman shortstop Saul Vazquez-Alvarado drove in the first run with a single, and freshman catcher Jovani Reynoso followed with a bases-loaded walk to give Saint Mary an early lead.
The scoring continued in the second when junior center fielder T. Wood launched a solo home run to extend the Spires' advantage to 3-1. The bats stayed hot in the third inning as Saint Mary tacked on four more runs. Wood picked up an RBI walk, Vazquez-Alvarado added another RBI single, and sophomore second baseman Lucas Barta delivered a two-run single, pushing the score to 7-2.
Saint Mary added two more runs in the top of the fourth, with Wood earning another RBI walk and Vazquez-Alvarado contributing a sacrifice fly, making it a 9-2 game. However, Benedictine began to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the fourth and continued to score throughout the middle innings.
Despite the Ravens' comeback, the Spires continued to battle. Junior third baseman Jaxon Sloan and sophomore first baseman Ben Brandt each recorded two hits, while Wood had a standout offensive performance, reaching base four times and driving in three runs. Barta and Vazquez-Alvarado also contributed significantly with two RBIs apiece.
On the pitching side, the Spires cycled through several arms. Freshman Robert Rosado started the game, followed by sophomore Moises Soriano, freshman Samuel Yancey, sophomore Devin Watkins, and junior Cale Fields. While the offense provided a cushion, the Ravens managed to capitalize on opportunities and ultimately took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Up Next:
Despite the loss, the Spires demonstrated their offensive firepower and resilience on the road. They will look to bounce back as they return home to face Evangel (MO) on Friday, March 28th, at 3:00 PM CDT.
