COTTLEVILLE, Mo. — The Raiders rallied late to salvage a split. Down 6-3 in the seventh inning against St. Charles, Three Rivers scored five runs between the seven and eighth innings to win the nightcap 8-6 after losing the opener 5-3. "It puts us right back in the mix of things. We really need to get the two on Saturday," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said, highlighting Sunday's home doubleheader against St. Charles. "Our guys really responded well after dropping a close game in the first game." Garyn Stewart singles to start the seventh and scored on a basesloaded walk to Ty'reik Thomas. With the bases still loaded, Grant Miller drew another walk to score Winston Welter, who reached on a fielder's choice. Down a run in the eight, Stewart again started the rally with a one-out double and Reece Reeding singled him in to tie the game. Welter walked and with two outs, Thomas connected for a two run single to put Three Rivers (8-8, 4-6 Region XVI) ahead 8-6. Parker Dent (3-0) go the win after taking the mound to start the sixth and pitching into the ninth. With one out and a man on second, Elvin Diaz relieved him and gave up a walk before a double play to end the game. Dent allowed three hits and two walks with fi ve strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings. Thomas was 1 for 2 with three RBIs in the game while Stewart was 3 for 5 with two runs. Quentin Bowling (1-2) pitched a compete game in the opener and allowed seven hits, a hit batter and a walk with one strikeouts. Two of the five runs against him were earned.

"Certainly threw well enough to get a win out of it," Burkey said. "He worked quick, he had some low pitch count innings, I think our defense plays well behind him." St. Charles took a 3-0 lead after two innings and tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Thomas and Preston Hart scored for Three Rivers in the fi fth inning on Stewart's single to left. Three Rivers had the tying run on first base in the seventh, but St. Charles turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the game. Drew Evans was 3 for 4 with a run for the Raiders, who had eight hits. After opening the season 1-6, the Raiders have gone 7-2, including four region wins. They will finish the season series against St. Charles at 12 p.m. Sunday at Roger Pattillo Field. Three Rivers lost two more players to injury, both with sprained ankles, and now have eight total on the shelf. Fernando Burgos turned an ankle while pitching in the second inning of the nightcap, stayed in the game, soon turned it again trying to cover first base and was pulled. Hart sprained his ankle on the warning track while chasing a throw from third to first that got away. His loss will force Burkey to shuffle the lineup for Saturday's rematch. Hart's absence, along with the injury to fellow second baseman and leadoff hitter Jared Moses, means Evans will bat leadoff, Miller will bat second, and Welter will play second. "We'll have to collectively look at some combinations to compensate for that," Burkey said.

Scott Borkgren - Daily American Republic