By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
 
HATTIESBURG – William Carey University got its 2024 baseball season off to a sour start Thursday against Missouri Baptist.
 
In a season-opening showdown of Top 10 teams in the NAIA Preseason rankings, it was the visiting 10th-ranked Spartans who came away victorious, riding the longball to a 5-3 victory over the No. 4 Crusaders at Milton Wheeler Field.
 
"We're replacing some key guys who hit 28 home runs and accounted for 25 percent of our offense last season," said WCU coach Bobby Halford, who opens his 39th season guiding the Crusaders. "We just didn't do it tonight."
 
MBU (44-9 in 2023) got all of its runs on three home runs to leftfield, a pair of two-run blasts in the first and third innings, and a solo shot in the seventh. WCU (49-11 last season) left 15 runners on base and struck out 11 times.
 
"We left so many runners on and we also struck out so many times with runners in scoring position," said Halford. "That was a big thing."
 
The Spartans got the home run derby started early against junior right-hander Andrew Shirah. With one out, senior Blayne Yerger drew a walk, then one batter later, junior Cole Robinson smoked a 3-2 pitch over the fence in leftfield for a quick 2-0 lead.
 
The Crusaders got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second, but had a chance to get it back one inning earlier.
 
Senior R.J. Stinson, a preseason NAIA All-America, led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second and took third on a wild pitch with just one out.
 
But Missouri Baptist starter junior Teague Robertson got senior Jake Lycette to pop up behind the plate, then got out of the jam with an inning-ending groundout to shortstop.
 
Robertson was pressed into service as the Spartans' opening-day pitcher after senior right-hander Anthony Green, a Preseason All-America after finishing 8-0 with 117 strikeouts last season, suffered a season-ending injury in January.
 
Robertson showed his mettle as he got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning with just one run allowed.
 
With one out, senior Brady Wilson was hit by a pitch, junior Rigoberto Hernandez reached on an infield single and junior Jerod Williams walked. Senior catcher Braydon Coffey got the run home with another infield single off the leg of Robertson.
 
However, Stinson popped out to first and junior Bridley Thomas flied out to deep centerfield, the first of two innings that the Crusaders left the bases loaded.
 
"Their guys filled up the (strike) zone," said Coffey, who was 3 for 4 for the Crusaders. "That's what you're supposed to do. And we swung at some pitches off the plate."
 
MBU made it 4-1 in the next half-inning. Senior Blane Besse led off the third with a single, and senior Alex Adams planted a one-out pitch beyond the leftfield fence, giving the Spartans a 4-1 lead.
 
Shirah's day was done when he put the first two runners on base with a walk and a hit batter. After posting a 10-1 record last season, he left his season debut allowing four run on four hits, three walks and a pair of strikeouts.
 
"(Andrew) did not throw very well," Halford said. "He's had a little bit of a groin issue, and he just wasn't sharp. He didn't have his fastball, and I've got to give them credit, they've got a nice team and it's tough when you give up homers like that."
 
Fortunately for Carey, the bullpen came through, although it wasn't enough in the long run. Junior Luke Lycette, a transfer from Jones College, came on in relief and was sensational.
 
Lycette, a lanky right-hander, struck out the side in the fourth inning and gave the Crusaders four innings, striking out eight, walking one and allowing three hits.
 
"I knew that's what we needed, for me to throw strikes," said Lycette. "Free bases was what was going to kill us, so I knew if I came in and pounded the zone, I was going to find some way to get some outs."
 
"I had a good feel for the slider tonight, which was good for me. "
 
One of the hits Lycette allowed, though, was a solo home run with one out in the seventh by Yarger. The Spartans subsequently loaded the bases, but Lycette prevented further damage with an inning-ending strikeout.
 
"It was a slider and I kind of hung it a little bit," said Lycette. "I made a little mistake, but I tip my cap to him; it was a good swing.
 
"We've got a lot of good arms that have come in, and we have some arms that are returning that are really good. As long as we throw strikes, we're going to be a very tough team to beat."
 
WCU made it 4-2 in the fifth, when Thomas was hit by a pitch leading off, then stole second. With one out, Hendon smacked a double just inside the rightfield line to drive in the run, signaling an end to Robertson's day.
 
Senior right-hander Brady Stephan hit the first batter he faced, but struck out the next two to get out of trouble. He would be credited with the win after pitching three innings, allowing just one hit, striking out five and walking one.
 
Carey's best chance to score came in the sixth inning when Williams was hit by a pitch leading off and Coffey blooped a double into rightfield. Stephan got two outs, but Jake Lycette drew a walk to load the bases.
 
However, Hendon swung through a two-strike fastball to end the inning.
 
"It's tough when you're leaving runners, leaving runners and striking out in those situations," said Halford. "If you put the ball in play, a lot of good things will happen. We just have to come back tomorrow and get after it.
 
"We've got three new guys in there, and it's a learning experience for them. And some of the older guys just didn't play well tonight. But that's baseball. It's a long season and I think we'll be fine."
 
The Spartans had their chances to put the game away in the late innings, but left eight runners on base in the last three innings.
 
Junior right-hander Adam May, who came in from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, took over in the eighth and got two quick strikeouts, then loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter. But he was able to get out of the jam with a groundout to second base.
 
May also got two outs in the ninth, but gave up a walk and a double to put runners at second and third. However, senior right-hander John Snyder, Carey's ace closer last season with nine saves, came on to get an inning-ending strikeout.
 
"We had so many opportunities to win this ball game, and that's why I brought John Snyder in to get that last out," Halford said. "Because I knew if we could keep it to two runs, this team is capable of coming back and winning ball games like that."
 
WCU got one run back in the eighth, when Coffey drew a lead-off walk and took second when Thomas was hit by a pitch, the sixth of the game for MBU, bringing senior left-hander Skout Rallo out of the Spartan bullpen.
 
He gave up a deep flyball to Jake Lycette, then Hendon drove in his second run of the game with a sharp single to left. However, that was all the damage, as Rallo got a strikeout to end the inning.
 
The Crusaders got a runner to third in the ninth with two outs, but after reaching base in his first four plate appearances, Coffey was unable to deliver a run-scoring hit, flying out to end the game.
 
"It was a good night for me, but I'd rather come out with a win than do that," said Coffey. "The guy gave me two fastballs. I chased the first one and the second one, I just got under."
 
Campbellsville (Ky.) University comes in to join the Crusaders and Spartans in the weekend round-robin, with three seven-inning games on tap for Friday.
 
Campbellsville and Missouri Baptist square off at 12 p.m., with Carey and MBU to play at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Crusaders and Tigers scheduled for a 6 p.m. start. The Spartans and Tigers will play again at 11 a.m. Saturday, with WCU and CU scheduled at 2:30 p.m.