Baldwin ? A healthy dose of Avila University cured what ailed Baker University’s football team.

The Wildcats snapped a four-game losing streak and won at home for the first time by blanking the Eagles, 27-0, on a chilly, windy Saturday night at Liston Stadium.

“What was so frustrating about the losing streak is that we were not playing the way we can play,” linebacker Micah Mason said. “So to play how we should play felt good.”

Mason, a junior linebacker from Baldwin, helped Baker post its first shutout in four years by recording a team-high 13 tackles and breaking up two passes.

Jeremiah Gress, a senior linebacker from Lawrence, added 10 tackles, including one for a loss.

“Some of us lost confidence during that streak,” Gress said, “but I think we got some confidence back tonight.”

Saturday’s other defensive standout was sophomore cornerback Eric Allen, who held Avila wide receiver Doug Wendell to only two catches for eight yards. Wendell went in as the leading receiver in the NAIA with 51 receptions.

“Eric is our best cornerback,” BU coach Mike Grossner said, “and that’s a tribute to Eric and his pride.”

Baker struck early, grabbing a 7-0 lead when Drake Taylor blocked a punt on Avila’s first possession, and Spencer Curran picked the ball up and raced 20 yards into the end zone.

“It was two equal teams going at each other,” Grossner said, noting both schools entered with 2-5 records, “and I thought the difference would be special teams. That put us in the lead and kept our emotions up.”

Baker’s emotional state received another spike early in the second quarter when Ryan Smith lined up for a 31-yard field-goal attempt, and holder Brad Fawcett fooled the Eagles by pulling up and throwing a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tylor St. Clair.

“That’s one of those plays that never looks good in practice,” Grossner said, “but you have to have faith in it. Fawcett made a great throw.”

Meanwhile, Baker didn’t really make much noise on offense except for one big play by fullback Pete Diaz. Normally used mainly as a blocker, the 5-foot-10, 250-pound Diaz rumbled 45 yards up the middle before behind hauled down from behind at the Avila three.

Moments later, Mason, who doubles as a running back, carried the ball over for BU’s last score early in the third quarter.

“I don’t think Pete has been more open than that,” Grossner said. “We were all hoping he would score, but we’re glad Micah put it in.”

Avila, coming off a 21-13 victory over Haskell Indian Nations University last week, never has beaten Baker in the six years it has been a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Baker (3-5) will be idle next week, then travel to Canton, Mo., to meet Culver-Stockton the following Saturday.