Stephen Read

The Miner baseball team extended its winning streak to five games Wednesday afternoon by sweeping a doubleheader from Maryville University by scores of 4-3 and 5-1 at the UMR Baseball Field.

UMR completed the sweep Wednesday with a five-run first inning and a strong pitching performance from Stephen Read, as he threw a complete game with six hits allowed and 10 strikeouts.

Read got all the runs he needed right from the start, as the Miners batted around in the opening inning and knocked out Maryville starter Derek Strauser.

Robbie Martin’s sacrifice fly got the Miners on the board, then a bases loaded walk to Cody Bass made it 2-0. Kris Hamilton greeted Saint reliever David Wiggins with a run-scoring hit and a second run scored on the play thanks to an error. The Miners got their fifth run on a passed ball.

Read allowed only three hits through the first six innings and was one out away from a shutout when Bo Bunton’s two-out single drove in the only run for Maryville.

In the opener, the Miners fell behind 3-0 as the Saints tallied two runs in the first and a run in the second off starter Ben Sherman. UMR got two of the runs back in the bottom half of the second, as a bases loaded walk to Gerad Fox brought home the initial run and a sacrifice fly by Thomas McCormick made it a one-run game.

The Miners then tied the contest in the third when Bass singled home Eaf Redden, who had doubled with one out.

UMR reliever Andy Draper held the Saints off the scoreboard over the next three innings, in which time the Miners got the go-ahead run across the plate.

A leadoff walk to McCormick and a hit by Martin started the fifth for the Miners, but a failed sacrifice bunt led to a force out at third. Joe Montgomery followed up with a run-scoring hit to drive home Martin with the Miners’ fourth run.

Draper pitched around a two-out hit in the sixth, then Brian Rickert preserved the win for him by getting the Saints out after allowing a leadoff single.

The Miners had seven hits in the first game and five in game two.

UMR, now 5-3 on the season, will host Southwest Baptist Saturday in a doubleheader starting at noon.