JOPLIN, Mo. - The Lincoln Blue Tigers trailed 6-1 after three innings Friday afternoon and dropped an 9-4 decision to the Maryville Saints in the baseball opener for both teams.
Lincoln scored in the top of the first inning when a sacrifice fly by Kaleb Davis scored Kolton Clark, who was hit by a pitch to start the game.
Maryville got two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good, then added four in its half of the third.
Lincoln got two of those runs back in the fourth. Davis led off with a walk and went to second on a Zach Anderson single After a strikeout, Mason Price singled home Davis. Mike Million brought home the final run of the inning on a fielder's choice.
Maryville, which finished with 16 hits, scored twice in the fifth and once in the eighth to make it 9-3.
Lincoln got its final run in the ninth when Clark singled home Price, who led off the inning with a single.
Price finished with two hits in an eight-hit Lincoln attack.
Zach Maskill started and took the loss for Lincoln. He allowed six runs (all earned) on 10 hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out four. Four other Blue Tigers pitched in the contest.
Lincoln and Maryville will play a doubleheader starting today at noon.