ST. LOUIS – Bryce Kulinski recorded career-highs in RBIs (7) and hits (4) but it wasn't enough as the University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team dropped the series finale against Missouri S&T 18-16 on Sunday afternoon at the Ballpark at S&T. The Tritons drop to 21-25, 14-14 GLVC while the Miners improve to 23-19, 14-14 GLVC.
UMSL jumped out to an early lead with a pair of first inning runs.
Braedon Stoakes led off the game with a double to right, advanced to third on an error by the pitcher and scored on
Brandon Olion's sacrifice fly to center for the first run of the game.
Mitchell Green made it 2-0 three pitches later hitting a solo home run to left.
The Tritons added to its lead scoring four runs on three hits in the third.
Jake Isaacs scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0 and then Kulinski hit a three-run homer to left to extend the lead to 6-0.
S&T countered with five runs in its half of the third highlighted by a two-run single from Cole Hampton and a two-run single from Garrett Weiner.
UMSL answered back with three in the top of the fourth. Kulinski drove in Olion and Green with a double to center that made it 8-5 and then
Justin Simard singled to right bringing in Kulinski.
The Miners got one of those runs back in their half of the fourth as Hampton's single to right brought home Aaron Berkhoff.
The Tritons countered in the fifth sending 10 batters to the plate scoring six runs on four hits and two S&T errors to extend its lead to nine. Olion hit a two-run home run to left center while Kulinski had a two-run single and Isaacs added another RBI single.
The Miners scored two in the fifth and one in the sixth to cut the deficit to 15-9 heading into the home half of the seventh. S&T scored eight runs on seven hits in the seventh to take a 17-15 lead. Michael Hughes tied the game with a three-run homer to left and then Berkhoff gave the Miners the lead with a two-run double to left.
UMSL cut the deficit in half in the eighth as Olion singled to left to drive in Stoakes. Isaacs tried to score the tying run but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
S&T regained its two-run lead in the last of the eighth as Dakota Sill scored on a wild pitch.
The Tritons loaded the bases with two out in the ninth but left them stranded as a strikeout ended the contest.
UMSL finished with 17 hits in the contest and had six players record at least two. Kulinski led the way with his four while Olion had three hits.
Brady Krile took the loss on the mound giving up three runs on two hits in an inning and a third of relief.
The Tritons begin their final homestand of the regular season this Friday (May 5) as they host No. 22 Illinois Springfield in the start of a four-game series at 2 p.m. at the UMSL Baseball Field.
