CLAYTON, Mo. – The Spalding University baseball team won their opening game of the SLIAC Tournament, 13-0, over the Blackburn Beavers to improve to 27-13 on the season. With the win, the Eagles move on to play the winner of #3 Fontbonne vs. #6 Iowa Wesleyan. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Mo.
 
Peyton Hood (7-3) earned his seventh win of the season. The senior had Beaver batters off balance all day limiting them to 4 hits, while striking out 5 in 9.0 inning complete game performance. JT Johnson led the Eagles at the plate going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a home run. In addition, Dryden Schroeder and Mitchell Langley each added a pair of hits and two RBIs.  
 
Spalding got out in front early, plating four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs in the first, an error at first extended the inning scoring Evan Trentman from third. The Eagles took advantage scoring a run on a JT Johnson RBI single to center field and Zane Baker capped it off with a two-run double driving in Johnson and Michael Speck. In the fifth, a Mitchell Langley single to center brought Speck home from third to extend SU's lead to five runs. The Eagles put the game out of reach with an eight-run bottom of the seventh. Marcus Collins got it started with a two-run double bring Baker and Jace Pinkston home.  Johnson highlighted the inning with two-run homer and Isaac Lineberry capped it off driving in Speck to run the final to 13-0.
 
Up next, the Eagles take on the winner of #3 Fontbonne vs. #6 Iowa Wesleyan tomorrow at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Mo. The game is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. ET first pitch.