Bolivar, Mo. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team put up a crooked number in the second inning en route to an 8-2 victory over Southwest Baptist in the opening game of their four-game series Friday evening at Dodson Field in Bolivar, Mo. Logan Mantz and Brandon Olion each had three hits to pace the Tritons offense in the victory.
 
How it Happened – After a scoreless opening inning, the Tritons used four hits, three of which were doubles, to race out to an early 5-0 lead in the top of the second. Mantz got things going with a one-out double and Carson Holin drew a walk to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners up 90 feet, Kameron Laskowski ripped a double into the gap to score both runners as it gave UMSL an early 2-0 advantage. Laskowski would then steal third and come home on a Brandon Olion double to right field to extend the lead to 3-0. The Tritons offense continued to roll with two outs as Leighton Keller singled to left field to drive in Olion as it extended the lead to 4-0. Keller then came home on a throwing error to tack on another run to make the score 5-0.
 
UMSL added to the advantage in the fourth Olion opened the inning with a single and moved up to second with a stolen base. Matt DiMemmo hit into a fielder's choice to plate Olion to push the Tritons advantage to 6-0.
 
The Tritons extended the lead in the fifth frame as Mantz hit a one-out single and moved to second on a groundout. After Brandon Pasley drew a walk, Olion drove in his second run of the game with a single up the middle to score Mantz from second as it put UMSL on top 7-0. The Bearcats cut into the UMSL advantage in the home half of the fifth with a pair of runs to make the score 7-2.
 
UMSL tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a Nick Fitzanko RBI single up the middle to put the Tritons out in front 8-2.
 
Nick Torres tossed eight innings of five-hit baseball with four strikeouts to earn his first win of the season.
 
Winning Pitcher: Torres (1-3)
Losing Pitcher: Ryan Carmack (0-1)
Save: None
 
Hitting Leaders:
Mantz – 3-for-5, 3 2B, run scored
Olion – 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored
 
Records:
UMSL: 3-16, 2-3 GLVC
Southwest Baptist: 5-21, 0-5 GLVC
 
Up Next: 
The Tritons and Bearcats will continue their weekend series with a pair of seven-inning games tomorrow. The opening game of the day is slated to begin at 2 p.m.