Missouri Valley College took the conference-opening series from Benedictine Baseball over the weekend.
The four-game series, originally scheduled to be played in Marshall, Mo., was moved to Olsen Stadium after the Vikings' home field was deemed unplayable. The Vikings took Saturday's doubleheader 3-0 and 4-1 before taking Sunday's doubleheader 7-6 and 8-5.
As a team, the Ravens finished the series hitting .214 while standing 23 over the four games. They allowed 21 earned runs over the four games.
In the series opener, the Ravens couldn't solve the Vikings Tanner Duncan at the plate, as Duncan held the Ravens to four hits. Matthew Johnson went 2 for 3 for the Ravens while Brice Martin and Jackson Stone added the other two hits.
Lance Bolles suffered the loss on the hill. He threw 6 innings, giving up 3 runs off 7 hits.
In the second game of the series, the Ravens plated home their first run of the series but couldn't break through at the plate against a trio of Vikings pitchers.
Scott Matzke suffered the loss. He went 2.2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs off 5 hits. Ryan Jackson and Evan DeMint finished off the game. Jackson allowed 2 runs off 2 hits over 3 innings with 3 strikeouts.
Martin recorded a double, and Carson Hintz added a triple and RBI at the plate.
In the third game of the series on Sunday, the Ravens broke out at the plate with a 6-run fourth inning but couldn't hold off the Vikings in the loss.
Dominic Ferrari hit a 3-run home run, followed by an RBI double from Matthew Gabriel and an RBI triple from Martin.
Nic Mozingo started on the hill, throwing the first 3.1 innings. He gave up 3 earned runs off 4 hits with 2 strikeouts before Avery Baber took over. Baber suffered the loss, recording two outs and giving up 3 earned runs off 4 hits before Nolan Haas shut out the Vikings over the final 2 innings.
In the series finale, Missouri Valley scored 4 unanswered runs over the fifth and sixth innings to cap off a comeback and earn the sweep.
The two teams used a combined 10 pitchers in the game. Zach Wilcox suffered the loss, throwing 2 innings in relief.
At the plate, the Ravens recorded 3 triples and a home run. Ferrari added his second home run of the series while Martin, JK Sparks, and Skyler Specht all doubled. Ferrari finished with 3 RBI, while Martin and Johnson added an RBI each.
Benedictine remains at home on March 8-9 as they continue Heart play with a four-game series against Grand View University at Noon on both days.
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