Roadrunners sweep Region 16 Sub-Regional with late-inning heroics
The State Fair Community College baseball team opened its postseason with a dramatic 9-8 win over Metropolitan Community College in the Region 16 Sub-Regional on Friday, May 2..
May 5, 2025
May 2 – Metropolitan Community College at Sedalia
SEDALIA, Mo. – The State Fair Community College baseball team opened its postseason with a dramatic 9-8 win over Metropolitan Community College in the Region 16 Sub-Regional on Friday, May 2.
SFCC (30-15) trailed 4-2 in the third after a solo home run by sophomore outfielder/first baseman Dayne Wimberly of Platte City. The Roadrunners tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth, but MCC responded with three runs in the top of the seventh to go ahead 8-5.
Freshman middle infielder Peyton Cooper of West Plains sparked the comeback with a two-run homer to right in the eighth. Wimberly followed with a game-tying double, and freshman outfielder/pitcher Collin Ross of Branson delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly.
Sophomore pitcher Nate Bartlett of Lee's Summit started and pitched six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore pitcher Chase Schnieders of Jefferson City threw the final three innings in relief, giving up three runs on four hits with one strikeout.
Wimberly led SFCC with four hits, three RBIs and a run scored. Freshman infielder Connor Rice of Sedalia added two hits and two runs. Cooper drove in two runs, and sophomore outfielder Caleb Briggs of Lee's Summit scored twice. Freshman third baseman/first baseman Andrew Hill of Columbia doubled.
"This is how postseason baseball is going to be," head coach Jud Kindle said. "It is always going to be an absolute battle the entire game. I am super proud of the resilience of our team. I don't think this team ever believes that we are out of a ballgame. We put together a lot of quality at-bats in the eighth inning. Peyton Cooper had probably the biggest hit of his career to give us the life we needed to get back into the game."
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May 3 – Metropolitan Community College at Warrensburg
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – SFCC (31-15) completed the Sub-Regional sweep with a 9-7 win over Metropolitan Community College on Saturday, May 3, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
The Roadrunners erased a 7-1 deficit with a six-run fifth inning, capped by a grand slam from Ross that tied the game at 7-7.
"I don't think those guys ever count themselves out of the game," Kindle said. "We had a couple quality at-bats to draw a couple of walks and then Briggs got a big hit staying with his approach and drove a ball up the left-field line. Obviously, Collin Ross came up with a huge home run for us. That kind of helped get all the momentum back in our favor."
SFCC added two runs in the eighth to seal its seventh straight win and fourth Sub-Regional title since restarting the program.
Briggs had two hits, including a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Sophomore outfielder Jordan Hedrick of Platte City added two hits, a double, two runs and an RBI. Sophomore catcher Carter Rice of Sedalia doubled. SFCC recorded eight hits overall.
Freshman pitcher Jacob Tellman of Jefferson City started and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore pitcher Parker Lambeth of Springfield tossed 4 1/3 innings in relief, allowing two runs on four hits with five strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Josh Hagle of Knob Noster struck out two in the ninth to earn the save.
"Our bullpen has been steady for us all year," Kindle said. "Lambeth and Hagle have been two of our staple guys at the back of our bullpen and helped us win a lot of ballgames. They did their job today. I am super proud of our team. They have a great attitude and believe in each other. I am super proud of the performances that they had this weekend."
David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics