UMSL southpaw Zach Haygood pitched a complete game in Game 2 of the Tritons’ doubleheader sweep over McKendree on Saturday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer

NORMANDY, MO — The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team got back onto the winning track on Saturday, when it swept a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader over local rival, McKendree University at the UMSL Baseball Field.

The Tritons had won three straight games and eight of nine, before suffering a tough late loss to the Bearcats on Friday. But the resilient club bounced back with a pair of thrilling wins on Saturday.

UMSL is now 26-15 on the season and 17-10 (fourth place) in the GLVC. McKendree is 13-27 overall and 7-20 (tied for last place) in the conference.

Game 1 – UMSL 3, McKendree 2 — 9 innings

NCAA Baseball	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
McKendree (13-26)	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	3
UMSL (25-15)	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	3	12	1

WP: Brady Krile – UMSL (3-1) L: Derek Galdoni – McK (2-2)

In what was scheduled to be a pair of seven-inning doubleheaders, McKendree jumped out two a 2-0 lead in the third inning and held that edge until UMSL tied the score in the bottom of the seventh.

The Tritons had runners on base all day, but couldn’t get any across the plate until the seventh.

UMSL got a pair of runners on to begin the inning, following a single by Kameron Laskowski and a walk to Logan Mantz. Laskowski then scored on a single by Dane Stevenson, while Mantz advanced to third. Barrett Rose then came up and lined a single down the right field line to score Mantz and tie the game.

The score stayed tied until the ninth, when Stevenson led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the McKendree pitcher. Jordan Aguallo dropped a sacrifice bunt to move Stevenson to third, who then Stevenson scored two pitches later on a wild pitch that ended the game.

Junior righthander Brady Krile (3-1) pitched the shutout eighth and ninth innings for the Tritons to get the win.

Game 2 – UMSL 4, McKendree 2

NCAA Baseball	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
McKendree (13-27)	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	6	1
UMSL (26-15)	0	0	0	0	3	1	X	4	11	0

WP: Zach Haygood – UMSL (6-1) LP: Eddie Freidel _ McK (0-4)

McKendree again began the game by taking an early lead and held it for most of the game, until UMSL rallied late to take the lead.

The Tritons were down 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth, when they scored three runs on five straight hits. They then added another run in the sixth, which proved to be important as McKendree scored a run and had other runners on in the seventh.

Fortunately, junior lefthander Zach Haygood proved to be more than up to the challenge, as he held the Bearcats at bay and tossed a complete game to get the win. Overall, Haygood (6-1) went seven innings and allowed just the two runs on six hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

UMSL had 11 hits in the nightcap and were led by Buescher, who had three, and Rose and McIntyre, who both had two hits.

The Tritons and Bearcats will play the final game of their series on Sunday. First pitch at the UMSL Baseball Field is slated for 1 p.m.

UMSL TRITONS 2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Time	Site	Opponent	Location
April 21, 2024 (Sunday)	1 p.m.	Home	McKendree	UMSL Baseball Field
April 26, 2024 (Friday)	2 p.m.	Away	Upper Iowa	Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field
April 27, 2024 (Saturday)	1 p.m.	Away	Upper Iowa	Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field
April 27, 2024 (Saturday)	4 p.m.	Away	Upper Iowa	Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field
April 28, 2024 (Sunday)	12 p.m.	Away	Upper Iowa	Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field
May 2, 2024 (Thursday)	2 p.m.	Home	Missouri S&T	UMSL Baseball Field
May 3, 2024 (Friday)	2 p.m.	Home	Missouri S&T	UMSL Baseball Field
May 4, 2024 (Saturday)	12 p.m.	Home	Missouri S&T	UMSL Baseball Field
May 4, 2024 (Saturday)	3 p.m.	Home	Missouri S&T	UMSL Baseball Field
May 8, 2024 (Wednesday)	TBA	Neutral	GLVC Tournament	Marion, Ill. / Mtn. Dew Park