Warriors get a win in Leavenworth

Sterling College baseball came away with a win in a three-game series against the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kan. on Thursday and Saturday, April 17 and 19.

Game 1

The Warriors came out strong in game one, getting the 9-4 win over Saint Mary, setting the tone from the top of the first with four runs.

Andrew Dutro got things started with a single to left field to bring home Luis Morales. Austin Santiago hit a sacrifice fly out to right field to bring in Emmanuel Huerta Cardenas for the run. Nehemiah House followed it up with a single to center field to get Dutro home and Joseph Almanza singled to right field to bring in Jackson Parmenter for the 4-0 lead.

Saint Mary was able to close the gap in the bottom of the second with two runs of their own, but Tyler Gates answered quickly with a single to left center field in the top of the third to bring home both House and Santiago in and extend Sterling's led to 6-2.

Another score from the Spire's in the bottom of the third closed the gap, 6-3.

The Warriors put the game out of reach in the top of the fourth with three more runs. Parmenter started things out this time grounding out to the short stop to allow Huerta Cardenas to advance to home for the score. Santiago followed it up with a single to right field to bring home Dutro and Ezavian Campos returned the favor with a sacrifice fly out to left field to bring Santiago in for the run and give Stelring the 9-3 lead.

Saint Mary was able to score another run in the bottom of the sixth, but was unable to get anything else going offensively as the Warriors took the 9-4 win in game one.

Jace Phillips started things off from the mound pitching five and two-thid innings and facing 27 batters. He surrendered seven hits which resulted in four runs, walking five batters while striking out three.

Eric Villa came in as relief for the Warriors, he finished the three and one third innings, facing 13 batters, surrendering three hits while giving up no runs, walking one batter and striking out one.

Sterling was led in RBIs by Gates and Santiago with two each. Huerta Cardenas and Dutro also recorded one stolen base.

Game 2

Sterling tried to keep the momentum from game one on Thursday but errors and miscues late in the game allowed the Spires to come away with the 6-4 win.

The Warriors got things started in the top of the first with a single to right field from Parmenter to bring home Morales and House singled to bring home Dutro for the run for the 2-0 lead.

The Spires answered back quickly in the bottom of the first tying things up with two runs.

Gates hit a double in the top of the sixth to bring House home and take back the lead. Morales returned the favor with a single to bring in Gates and give Sterling the 4-2 lead.

Saint Mary came back with one run in both the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game up and put the game out of reach with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the 6-4 win.

Aaron Alvarado started the game from the mound for the Warriors, he pitched six innings facing 30 batters. He surrendered seven hits which resulted in three runs (two earned), walking two batters while walking four.

Jace Phillips came in as relief. He pitched the final two innings for the Warriors, facing 11 batters, surrendering three hits which resulted in three runs (two earned), walking two batters and striking out one.

Game 3

The second game of the doubleheader was even tighter with a late, seventh-inning surge by the Warriors to tie things up, but the Spires were able to get the walk off score in the bottom of the ninth to come away with the 6-5 win.

St. Mary started with scores in the bottom of the first and third to get ahead 3-0.

Gates was able to answer in the top of the fourth with a single to bring home Santiago.

The Spires added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 5-1.

The Warriors had a huge seventh inning to tie the game up 5-5. Starting with a walk from Santiago with the bases loaded. Landon Volner then doubled to bring home Parmenter and Dutro and Morales finished out the inning with a single to get Santiago home for the run.

Saint Mary finished the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with a sacrifice bunt with the bases loaded to bring in the walk off score, 6-5.

Joseph Haynes started things off from the mound for the Warriors. He pitched three innings, facing 15 batters, surrendering six hits which resulted in three runs and walking two batters. Jackson Califono came in as relief, pitching two innings and facing 10 batters. He surrendered two hits which resulted in one run and struck out one run.

Villa also pitched one inning, facing five batters, surrendering two hits which resulted in one run. Tyreek Sherman closed things out in the final three innings. He surrendered one hit which resulted in one run, walking two batters and striking out four.

Volner led the Warriors in RBIs with two.

Sterling's next game will be Friday, April 25 at home against McPherson College.

Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.