SENECA, Mo. — The Ecclesia Royals kept their strong early-season momentum rolling over four games this week, dominating visiting Missouri Valley College and improving their mark significantly while holding the Vikings to just four runs across all four contests.
Game 1: Ecclesia 5, Missouri Valley 2
The Royals opened the series with a balanced attack in the afternoon opener. After a scoreless first inning, Ecclesia struck first and never looked back. They pushed across a run in the second and added three more in the fourth to pace the offense. Pitching was steady behind starter Blaine Dunstan, who worked six innings with just two earned runs allowed to pick up the win. Reliever Damion Bridgeman closed it out for the save. Key offensive contributions came from Price, Soto, Hunter and Hinds, each fueling the lineup in the 5-2 victory.
Game 2: Ecclesia 3, Missouri Valley 0
In the nightcap, the Royals' arms took center stage. Senior Drew Elmore delivered a gem, firing a complete game shutout while limiting the Vikings to two hits and striking out seven. Ecclesia scratched out two runs in the third inning and tacked on another in the seventh, doing just enough with timely hitting and strong situational baseball. Missouri Valley managed only a pair of base knocks in the low-scoring affair, as Ecclesia improved to 8-2 early in the season.
Game 3: Ecclesia 16, Missouri Valley 1
Friday's opener turned into an offensive eruption. Ecclesia erupted for 16 runs on 13 hits in a complete demolition of the Vikings. Josh Hinds got the win, backing big production throughout the order — including multi-hit efforts from Gabe Reed, CJ Price, Ike Freeman, Clay Fisher, and Tucker Bradley, who also belted a home run. Singles, extra-base hits, small ball execution and aggressive baserunning kept Missouri Valley off balance the entire day, as the Royals built a comfortable lead early and never let up.
Game 4: Ecclesia 6, Missouri Valley 1
In the series finale, the Royals continued the offensive onslaught with a balanced run production across innings four through six. Hank Ramsey earned the win, going over six strong innings with consistent command, while the Royals' bats struck repeatedly to build a commanding advantage. Gustavo Soto, Gabe Reed, and CJ Price all chipped in at the plate, pacing the Royals amid solid contributions throughout the lineup. The victory capped a series sweep with an emphatic 6-1 score.
Series Recap & Takeaways
- Dominant Pitching: Between Elmore's shutout, Dunstan, Hinds and Ramsey's gutsy outings, the Royals' staff set the tone early and often.
- Explosive Offense: Ecclesia put up 30 runs over the series, showing power and patience at the plate.
- Complete Team Effort: With contributions up and down the lineup, the Royals showcased depth and balance.
- Sweep Momentum: The 4-0 sweep takes Ecclesia to double-digit wins early in the season and builds confidence as they head deeper into the 2026 slate.
Program Record
For the first time in Ecclesia College Baseball history, the team has won 10 of their first 12 games, officially marking the best start to a season in team history. With tons of baseball left to play, the early games have given fans plenty of reason to be excited.
