WINTER HAVEN, Florida - The Mount St. Joseph baseball team got their 2026 trip to the RussMatt Invitational underway on Sunday against the Blue Jays of St. Joseph's Connecticut. The Lions and Blue Jays were scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning games, but after a two-hour rain delay in the middle of game one, the second game was canceled.
The Lions sent junior right-hander
Nolan Miller to the mound to start the game and he was outstanding, through the first two innings he faced only seven batters, allowing one hit, with four of his six outs coming by way of strikeout.
With both teams scoreless through two the Lions finally got on the board in the top of the third inning.
Will Record got it started with a one-out walk,
AJ Meyer followed with a bunt single and the pair advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.
Austin Buckle then laced a two-run single into left field to get the Lions on the board.
After the inning the game entered a rain and lightning delay that would last a little more than two hours, thus ending the day for Miller.
Jackson Bucks came on to relieve him in the bottom of the third, he retired the side in the third while allowing one baserunner.
The Mount threatened in the fourth as the first two batters reached but the Blue Jays were able to limit the damage with a double-play.
In the bottom of the inning the Blue Jays loaded the bases with two outs but Bucks was able to get a big strikeout to end the inning and keep his team in front.
In the bottom of the fifth the Blue Jays scored twice to tie the game at two, headed into the late innings.
The Mount quickly regained the lead in the top of the sixth as
Brennan Martin drilled a solo homerun to right field, his third of the season.
The score was tied again in the bottom of the sixth as the Blue Jays got one, they would then get a walk-off homerun in te bottom of the seventh to beat the Lions 4-3.
UP NEXT: The Lions will take to the field again tomorrow as they will square off with the Western New England Golden Bears. That game is scheduled to get underway at 1:30 at the North East Regional Park in Davenport, Florida.
