Valley drops three of four on road

Junior Dan Schlottmann's three-run seventh-inning double capped the Vikings' only victory of a four-game series against Culver-Stockton. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

The Missouri Valley College baseball team got another solid performance from pitcher Joaquin Lopez during the opener of a four-game Heart of America Conference road series Friday, but the rest of the weekend belonged to title contender Culver-Stockton.

Lopez, a senior right-hander from Eugene, Ore., had thrown shutouts in two of his previous four starts. He scattered eight hits for a 5-1 decision, stranding 11 Wildcats on base.

Junior Mark Leacox drew a lead-off single in the top of the first inning and scored the Vikings' first run on an error, but Culver tied the game in the third on a wild pitch. Lopez didn't allow another run, but had to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and two-on, one-out situation in the seventh.

Junior Andy Chamberlin's single in the fourth gave Valley the lead, onto which three runs were added in the top of the seventh. Sophomore George Ban's one-out triple was followed by two walks to load the bases, which were cleared by junior Dan Schlottmann's double.

To close out the first day, the Wildcats won 5-1 as senior Steve Rinaudo and junior Kevin Childs combined on a four-hitter -- Rinaudo striking out eight in six innings.

The Vikings' only run came in the seventh on senior Ricardo LeClaire's single.

By then, Culver had the game well in hand. Senior Nick Liedel doubled in a run in the second, junior Jason Payne had an RBI single and scored during a steal run-down in the fifth and a bunt single by sophomore Sal Rivera and an error produced two more runs in the sixth.

The early game Saturday was the closest of the series, the 'Cats winning, 4-3.

Culver scored the first two runs, Rinaudo starting the first inning with an infield single and crossing on a sacrifice fly and Liedel stroking an RBI single in the second.

LeClaire singled and scored in the top of the third, but Rivera's double and a base hit by senior Jack Mikel in the bottom half of the frame kept Valley's deficit at two runs.

The gap grew to three runs when singles by senior Adam Enloe and junior Kurt Kessler, helped by an error, led to a tally in the fourth.

The Vikings tried to fight back. Ban doubled in a run in the fifth and a double by Leacox closed the margin to a run with two outs in the seventh, but the tying run was left in scoring position.

The getaway game, a 9-4 Culver win, was decided early by a six-run first inning. Freshman Michael Cagle had a two-run double and senior Lucas Cramsey, Mikel and Liedel provided RBI singles.

Valley scored three runs in the sixth, two on sophomore Ian Gray's two-run homer, but it wouldn't be nearly enough.

The Wildcats (27-17, 22-10 HAAC) now trail Lindenwood by only one game in the league standings.

The Vikings (12-27, 11-19), 3-7 over the last 10 games, are scheduled to play Tuesday at William Jewell.