ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team held off two late rallies by William Jewell to win the series finale 8-7 and complete the sweep of its four-game series on Sunday afternoon at the UMSL Baseball Field. The Tritons improve to 20-13, 12-8 GLVC while the Cardinals drop to 16-15, 8-12 GLVC.

UMSL took the early lead scoring three runs on three hits in the home half of the third. With two out and runners at second and third Mitchell Green hit a two-run double over the head of the center fielder scoring Braedon Stoakes and Barrett Rose. Garrett Strenger followed with an RBI single to center scoring Green.

WJC got two of those runs back in the fifth on Dawson Tweet's two-run single back up the middle scoring Alex Epp and Evan Jilbert. The Cardinals had an opportunity to take the lead but Brady Krile got Jonah Sanford to ground into a force out to end the inning.

William Jewell tied the game in the sixth on Ben Click's solo home run to left for his fourth of the season.

The Tritons responded in their half of the sixth scoring three runs on two hits and an error. Justin Simard dropped a two-out two-run double into right center scoring Green and Logan Mantz to retake the lead. Stoakes followed with a single through the left side of the infield to score Simard with the final run of the frame.

The Cardinals wouldn't go away without a fight scoring two runs on four singles and had the tying and go-ahead runs on base with no out in the seventh when the game was delayed 1:06 due to rain. After the rain delay, Jacob Arndt struck out Click for the first out of the inning. UMSL got out of the jam as Tweet came too far down from third and was picked off trying to get back into third and Sanford was thrown out at second for the inning ending double play.

The Tritons regained its three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh. Strenger doubled home Green to make it 7-5 and then Zach Beatty hit a single to left scoring Strenger with what proved to be the game-winning run.

William Jewell got a leadoff walk to Cale Blasi and a double down the left field line from Epp to open the eighth inning. Arndt retired Jake Wilcox on a pop up to first for the first out of the frame. Arndt got Jilbert to hit a ground ball to second that scored Blasi and a throwing error allowed Epp to score and Jilbert to get in scoring position. He went to third on a passed ball but Arndt got Jordan Phillips to line out to Mantz for an inning ending unassisted double play to preserve the lead.

The Cardinals got a two-out single in the ninth but Trent Anderson slammed the door shut striking out Click swinging to end the game.

UMSL had 10 hits in the contest and was led by Stoakes, Strenger and Beatty with two each. Krile picked up the win giving up three runs on six hits in 1.1 innings pitched to improve to 2-1 on the year. Anderson struck out two in his inning of work to earn his fifth save of the season.

The Tritons return to the diamond on Friday (April 12) traveling to Bolivar, Mo., for a four-game series against Southwest Baptist. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 5 p.m.