Baldwin ? Baker University used both offense and opportunity to eke out a 13-10 football victory Saturday over Central Methodist.

Despite muddy field conditions, the Wildcats produced 342 offensive yards with a steady amount of running and a efficient passing attack.

“When you have this kind of weather, you always get scared about the unknown,” Baker coach John Frangoulis said. “It wasn’t a hunt-and-peck kind of night. It was big plays that won the ball game. In this type of weather, you don’t expect that.”

Junior running back Jon Reeves helped Baker’s big plays despite not scoring a touchdown and fumbling three times. Reeves finished with 174 yards on 28 carries.

Reeves said Baker made slight adjustments for the rainy weather.

“The ground was kind of sluggish,” Reeves said. “We changed, but we were still able to capitalize off our base offense.”

Reeves’ longest run was 46 yards early in the third quarter when he was knocked out at the Central Methodist nine-yard line, but an ensuing 21-yard field goal attempt by freshman Brian Dawdy sailed right.

The Wildcats (1-1) scored all their points in the second quarter.

Three minutes into the period, Eagles punt returner John Overstreet fumbled on his own 38. After several players failed to corral the loose ball, Wildcat freshman Luke Thompson scooped it up and hustled into the end zone.

Baker’s only offensive touchdown came six minutes later. Overstreet again coughed up the ball, and Wildcat senior quarterback Martin Updike found a sliding Keenan Ganz in the back of the end zone from 30 yards out.

Baker University running back Jonathon Shipley is stopped by a group of Central Methodist defenders. Baker won, 13-10, Saturday at Liston Stadium.

“I thought I put too much on it, but he came out of nowhere and made a great catch,” Updike said.

Ganz, who led the Wildcats with six receptions for 97 yards, was barely in-bounds on his catch-and-slide performance.

“I got the ball and slid so much I didn’t think I was close,” Ganz said.

Updike finished 10-for-21 with 116 yards.

An Eagles touchdown closed the gap to three with 3:53 to play, but CMU didn’t get the ball back.

Ganz said it was important for his club to pull off a tight victory, something Baker hadn’t done in a while.

“We needed a close win,” Ganz said. “Last year, we came up short on close wins. We needed this to build our confidence.”

Baker will play Saturday at Missouri Valley.