FORT MYERS, Fla. (February 14, 2026) – Mount St. Mary's baseball came up short in the second game of their Floridian face-off against Missouri on Saturday, falling to the Tigers 5-4 after a push from the Mount bats in the top of the ninth fell short. With the loss, the Mount falls to 1-1 on the young season, setting up the rubber match with Mizzou in Fort Myers tomorrow for the series.
 
Mizzou accumulated an early 2-0 lead through the first two innings as Josh Halcisak took the mound for the Mount to start the game. The first Tiger run came across during the bottom of the first, after the Mizzou lead off batter reached base on a single, later reaching third base on a throwing error by Halcisak while scoring on a ground out later in the inning. A Mizzou triple to left field scored another run in the bottom of the second, opening the home team's lead.
 
The Tigers struck again during the bottom of the fourth when a Mizzou double scored two runs, with Halcisak being charged with one run and Kaden Kimble being charged with the other. Mount St. Mary's scored their first run of the night in the top of the sixth after a Ty Fredo double scored Christian Bauman from first base, much in thanks from an error from the center fielder.
 
Another Mizzou run came across home plate in the bottom of the sixth, establishing a 5-1 lead over the Mount late in the game. A Michael Toth single to right scored Sam Meyer while pushing Carson Clark to third. Alex Mendes hit into a fielder's choice later in the inning while Clark scored from third, cutting the run deficit to two heading into the bottom of the seventh.
 
Coming into relieve Christian Pownall in the bottom of the seventh, Jackson Snyder recorded his first strikeout in more than a year after returning from injury, striking out Mizzou's Eric Maisonet. After a hit-by-pitch, Snyder produced a double play in the infield, getting out of the bottom of the seventh unscathed.
 
A scoreless eight inning by both teams produced an opportunity for the Mountaineers to rally in the top of the ninth, only down by two runs. Evan Meier got the ninth inning started with a 3-1 walk to get on base followed by a Nathan Rodriguez single through the infield, sending Meier to second base. Sean Heffernan was subbed in to pinch run for Rodriguez right before a Bauman single to right field sent Meier home for the run and Heffernan to third, with the tying run on the corner. A double-steal backfired for the Mountaineers as Bauman was caught stealing at second before Mizzou threw Heffernan out at home plate, ending the game and preventing the Mount comeback.  
 
Halcisak was handed his first loss on the year as the junior from Hazel Township, Pennsylvania threw 3.2 innings while giving up three earned runs, striking out four batters after facing 16 Tigers at the plate. Kimble came into pitch an inning and two-thirds while allowing two hits and two walks for an earned run. Pownall made his debut for the Mountaineers during the game, throwing two-thirds of an inning, producing two outs in the inning. And Snyder came into relive late in the game, hurling 2.0 innings while giving up one hit and recording a K after facing six batters.
 
Bryce Rudisill went 2-4 on the day while recording nine putouts at first base for the Mount. Bauman went 1-2 against Mizzou in game two, working three walks while driving in and scoring a run. And Mike Toth went 1-1 in his pinch hitter appearance, batting in Meyer during the top of the seventh.
 
 
UP NEXT
 
The Mountaineers return to Terry Field tomorrow, February 15, for the third and final game of the series against Mizzou in Fort Myers while playing for a series win against the Tigers at 1:00 p.m.