NIACC splits with Crowder College

NEOSHO, Mo. - The NIACC baseball team split a doubleheader with No. 2 (NJCAA Division I) Crowder College on Saturday.

Crowder College won the opener 6-1 and NIACC took the second game 5-4.

The two teams wrap up the four-game nonconference series on Sunday with a doubleheader starting at noon.

In the first game, Crowder scored two runs in the third inning and plated four runs in the fourth inning. NIACC pushed across an unearned run in the first inning.

Zach Jackson (4-0) gained the win for Crowder in the opener. He tossed a complete-game five-hitter with seven strikeouts and two walks.

NIACC's Fox Leum was 2 for 3 with a double.

Brandon Williamson (1-1) took the loss for the Trojans. He pitched 3 1/3 innings allowing five runs (4 earned) and seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

In the second game, the Trojans (4-1 overall) scored two runs in the third inning and scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.

NIACC's Bryce Ball hit a solo home run and the Trojans' Cade Schares was 2 for 3, including a double, with one run scored and one RBI.

Tom Skoro (2-0) gained the win for the Trojans. He allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in four innings of work.

Chase Stewart picked up a strikeout for the final out in the seventh inning to pick up his ninth career save. The nine saves is tied for fourth with Riley Pollard (2015) on the school's all-time career save list.

Notes: Ball has 89 career hits, 8 career home runs and 55 career RBIs ... Schares has 5 career doubles ... Williamson has a career record of 5-2 with 58 career strikeouts.