UMSL players Ben Beier (center) and Brandon Pasley (right) celebrate Beier’s three-run home run during Saturday’s Triton victory over William Jewell. (Photo: Benjamin Brady)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WJC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| UMSL | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | X | 13 | 16 | 1 |
W: Jacob Mosher (1-0) L: Reed Pegram (1-1)
Torrance Terrell
Staff Writer
It’s been a rough first month and a half of the 2022 college baseball season for the UMSL Tritons. They began the year by losing their first four games, then had their next four games — which was supposed to be the team’s first home series of the season — snowed out.
UMSL eventually played its home opener on March 4, and they won that to get their first win of the season. But then the rest of March was dismal, as the Tritons lost eight straight games, which included getting swept at home by Minnesota-Duluth and then getting swept in a four-game road series against Missouri S&T.
Fortunately, UMSL was able to put an end to that on Saturday, as they pounded out 16 hits and scored a season high in runs, in a 13-5 win at the UMSL Baseball Field over visiting William Jewell.
Freshman catcher Ben Beier was the hitting star of the day for the Tritons, as he blasted his third home run of the season and drove in five runs to lead the UMSL offense. Sophomore teammate Brandon Pasley also had a big day, as he went four-for-four at the plate and scored two runs.
Three other Triton players had at least two hits and five drove in at least one run, as UMSL scored at least once in every inning but the first and the fifth.
William Jewell actually scored the first run of the game in the top of the second, but UMSL answered with six in the bottom half. The big blow was Beier’s moonshot, three-run homer over the right-field wall to put the Tritons up 3-1. UMSL got three more runs on a fielder’s choice, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch to go into the third inning ahead 6-1.
Sophomore third baseman Logan Mantz helped the Tritons build their lead by leading off the third with his second homer of the season to make it 7-1. UMSL eventually led by as much as 11-1, before closing out the seven-inning contest with a very much-needed 13-5 victory.
Another sophomore, left-handed reliever Jacob Mosher (1-0) got the win on the mound. He pitched the final four innings — his longest stint of the season — and kept William Jewell at bay, while his teammates closed out the win.
UMSL’s record on the season is now 2-13, and they will close out the series against William Jewell with a game on Sunday at the UMSL Baseball Field. First pitch for that contest is scheduled for 12 p.m.
| UMSL Tritons Men’s Baseball Upcoming Schedule |
| Sun., March 27 — vs. William Jewell — 12 pm |
| Tue., March 29 — at Illinois-Springfield — 12 pm |
| Tue., March 29 — at Illinois-Springfield — 3 pm |
| Fri., April 1 — at Southwest Baptist — 2 pm |
| Sat., April 2 — at Southwest Baptist — 12 pm |
| Sat., April 2 — at Southwest Baptist — 3 pm |
| Sun., April 3 — at Southwest Baptist — 12 pm |
| Fri., April 8 — at McKendree — 2 pm |
| Sat., April 9 — at McKendree — 12 pm |
| Sat., April 9 — at McKendree — 3 pm |
| Sun., April 10 — at McKendree — 12 pm |
| Tue., April 12 — vs. Illinois-Springfield — 2 pm |
| Thu., April 14 — vs. Lindenwood — 2 pm |
| Fri., April 15 — vs. Lindenwood — 12 pm |
| Fri., April 15 — vs. Lindenwood — 3 pm |
| Sat., April 16 — vs. Lindenwood — 12 pm |
| All UMSL home baseball games will be played at the UMSL Baseball Field |