Columbia shows why they're one of the AMC's top teams

COLUMBIA, MO – Fought as they might, UHSP was unable to take a game from one of the best teams in the AMC as Columbia on Saturday finished off a four-game sweep of the Eutectics over the weekend. The Eutectics showed resilience in the opening game of their doubleheader rallying in the final two innings but ultimately falling short in a 6-3 loss. Despite trailing 5-0 entering the sixth, UHSP's late-game efforts put pressure on the home team before Columbia closed out the win. In game two, the Cougars came out swinging early and often. By the fifth inning, Columbia had extended their advantage to 18-1, capitalizing on home runs from Tyler Renn, Bailey Quint, Brayden McGinnis, Zac Fruend, and Joe Hoerchler. Columbia sealed the series sweep with an 18-7 win.

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS:

COLUMBIA 6, UHSP 3

• Columbia took an early lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly by Dylan Carlton, bringing in Jack Matousek for the first run of the game.
• The home team added two more in the third, courtesy of a two-run homer by Jaden James.
• Columbia extended their lead to 5-0 in the fifth after a run scored on a double play and another came home on a wild pitch.
• UHSP got on the board in the sixth when Logan Stribling singled to left field, scoring Holden Campbell.
• Columbia responded in the bottom of the sixth with Matousek stealing second, allowing Brayden McGinnis to score and push the lead to 6-1.
• UHSP made a final push in the seventh, as Brandon Gibbs' sacrifice fly brought in Malcolm Merriwether, followed by Campbell's RBI single to drive in Jordan Gonzalez.
• Despite the rally, Columbia's pitching closed out the game to secure the victory.
• UHSP recorded eight hits, with standout performances from Gonzalez (3-for-3) and Campbell (1-for-3, RBI, run).
• Starting pitcher Tristan Calmes took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) over five innings with three strikeouts and three walks.
• Owen Clark went 6.1IP in picking up the win. He struck out nine, walked two and allowed three runs on eight hits.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS:

COLUMBIA 18, UHSP 7

• Brandon Gibbs sparked UHSP in the first with a double and scored on a Holden Campbell RBI single.
• Tyler Renn capped a five-run first for Columbia with a three-run dinger. Renn would go deep again with a two-run bomb in the three-run second.
• Bailey Quint and Brayden McGinnis each delivered two-run shots in a five-run third for the home club. Zac Fruend went yard with a solo shot in the fourth.
• Joe Hoerchler capped the homerun parade for Columbia with a fifth inning grand slam.
• Gibbs and Campbell drove in runs in a four-run sixth for the Eutectics. Logan Stribling then delivered a two-RBI single, bringing in Gibbs and Caden Buxton to cap the inning.
• Malcolm Merriwether had a seventh-inning homer for UHSP. Later, a wild pitch allowed Grim to cross the plate, capping the scoring for the Eutectics.
• Gibbs led the Eutectics offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Stribling was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, Campbell also drove in a pair.
• On the mound, UHSP's pitching staff faced a relentless Columbia lineup that tallied 19 hits. Wyatt Waters provided the lone scoreless outing for the Eutectics, pitching a clean sixth inning with one strikeout. Jackson Wininger suffered the loss giving up five runs on as many hits with two walks without recording an out as he got the start.
• UHSP did record ten hits off CC starter Pierce Hartmann. But Hartmann went five innings allowing just a run while walking one and fanning three.
• 14 of Columbia's 18 runs scored on homeruns. The Cougars had nine extra-base hits in the game.

NEXT UP:

With the loss, UHSP moves to 13-23 overall and 8-16 in AMC conference play. The Eutectics will look to bounce back in a four-game series against William Woods (20-15, 13-11 AMC) at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Alton, IL that begins on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1:00p. The following weekend the Eutectics wrap up the home portion of the schedule with a four-game series against Williams Baptist that begins with a doubleheader on Friday, April 11.