The Baker University baseball team won its first conference game of the season after splitting a doubleheader with Missouri Valley College Wednesday, as it won game one 4-2 and dropped game two 3-0.

After two scoreless innings in game one, the Wildcats took the lead in the top of the third, starting with a single from junior Matt Fry. Senior Ryan Thompson moved Fry into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before freshman Neal Boyce stepped up to the plate and hit an RBI double.

Errors by the Vikings helped Baker increase the lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth as senior Bryan Kindle reached home after a dropped fly ball.

Junior pitcher Thomas Hawkins was on the mound for Baker and allowed only four hits and one run in six innings. However, Missouri Valley rallied in the bottom of the seventh by tying the game and forcing extra innings.

One extra inning was enough to seal the deal for the Wildcats, though, as junior Brett Lechien and freshman Charles Coleman came around the bases to snatch the lead back at 4-2.

Baker had four hits and three left on base in the top of the eighth before sophomore Kyle Pattrick pitched a three-up, three-down final inning to clinch the Wildcats’ first conference win.

Momentum did not carry over for the Wildcats in game two, though, as the Vikings jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after scoring in both the first and second innings.

Sophomore Ryan Lasneske pitched 3.1 innings and gave up six hits and three runs before freshman Justin Bye came in to clean things up during the bottom of the fourth. Bye and freshman closer Derek Schupp allowed no hits and no runs for the remainder of the game.

The Wildcats walked out of the game with four hits, but also recorded three errors.

Baker is now 2-16 on the season while Missouri Valley sits at 2-10. Both teams are 1-3 in Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season play.

If weather permits, BU is scheduled to continue its conference schedule this weekend as it takes on Graceland University. Saturday’s doubleheader will take place in Lamoni, Iowa, and the Wildcats will welcome the Yellowjackets to Sauder Field for the final two games of the series on Sunday.