Eutectics Close First Conference Season with Series Against Spartans

CREVE COEUR, MO. - The Eutectic baseball team concluded its first American Midwest Conference (AMC) season on Thursday, finishing up a three-game series by hosting the Missouri Baptist University Spartans, who lead the Conference with a 19-2 record. Despite a two-run rally in the bottom of the fifth and a home run by Malcolm Merriweather in the Euts' final at-bat in Game 3, the Spartans swept the series, winning 12-2 and 8-4 in Thursday's doubleheader at Spartan Baseball Field.

Game 1:

After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Eutectics evened the score with an RBI single from Nolan Harding that sent Rober Uhlmeyer across the plate. The Spartans then scored in each of the next four innings, while holding the Purple and Gold at the plate, to go up 12-1. Neither team would score again until the Eutectics' final at-bat, when Ruben Ogando's single drove home Hector Perez to close the seven-inning game at 12-2.

The Euts finished the game with six hits, including two from Ogando. Uhlmeyer was credited with two of the team's three stolen bases. Tristan Calmes is charged with the loss in the circle with three strikeouts, eight hits, and nine earned runs in four innings. The Spartans' Landon Albers is credited with the win, picking up seven strikeouts and giving up four hits and one earned run in his five innings on the mound.

Game 2:

The Spartans pulled ahead 2-0 after a two-run homer by Cole Robinson in the first inning. Things were quiet for two innings before the MBU team took advantage of an error and a single to push another run in. But, then, in the bottom of the fifth, two infield errors, a sac fly, and a walk set up Ogando, whose RBI single sent Uhlmeyer home. Dustin Aleck followed that up with a sac fly that sent Holden Campbell home to put the Eutectics within one run of the Spartans at 3-2.

MBU scored one run in the top of the sixth to go up by two, but in the bottom of the eighth, the Eutectics' Caden Buxton hit a sac fly that set up Jabez King to score and return the differential to one run at 4-3. In the top of the ninth, however, the Spartans doubled their total, scoring four runs on three hits to pose a more difficult challenge for the Eutectics in their final at-bat. In the very first pitch of the inning, Malcolm Merriweather blasted a home run over the center field fence to put the score at 8-4. Unfortunately for the Eutectics, that turned out to be the only hit of the inning, and the Spartans claimed the 8-4 victory.

Ogando and Uhlmeyer combined for four of the team's six hits in the game, while Ogando, King, and Buxton each stole a base. Four different pitchers came onto the mound for the Eutectics, but the loss is charged to starter Barrett Lohman, who recorded three strikeouts, five hits, and three earned runs over his four innings on the mound.

The loss put the UHSP Conference record at 4-17 for a final ranking of seventh of eight teams – just missing qualification for the AMC post-season tournament.

The Eutectics finished their first official Conference season with an overall record of 11-29.

As a team, the Euts averaged .322 at the plate, with seven players above the .300 mark. Robert Uhlmeyer led the team with 54 hits, 20 stolen bases, and 34 runs scored, while averaging .386 for the season. Malcolm Merriweather collected 40 RBIs, eight home runs, and a slugging percentage of .611 this season. Tristan Calmes, Barrett Lohman, and Maguire Wakelyn each posted two wins in the circle, with Calmes recording the 53 strikeouts and an ERA of 5.50.