On a day the Bees recognized 20 seniors before the game, St. Ambrose wasn't able to send them out with a victory. SAU dropped its season finale to Missouri Baptist 42-38 at Brady Street Stadium Saturday afternoon.

St. Ambrose posted 456 yards of total offense to rally from a 24-7 second-quarter deficit.

But a roughing the kicker penalty late in the game proved costly. The penalty wiped out a 23-yard Missouri Baptist field goal that would have tied the game at 38-38, and instead gave the Spartans a first-and-goal from the Bee 3-yard line. One play later, MBU pushed in for the touchdown to grab a 42-38 lead with just under four minutes remaining.

Joey Sprinkle, back from an injury suffered in the season opener, got the Bees down to the Spartan 31-yard line inside the final two minutes before a final incompletion on fourth-and-15 ended the drive. MBU picked up a first down before running out the clock to secure the victory.

The final minutes overshadowed a fantastic comeback from the Bees.

Despite a Tom Casey two-yard touchdown pass to Yemi Ward midway through the opening quarter, St. Ambrose found itself down 24-7 five minutes into the second period. But two late scores - a 1-yard Ben Gilbert touchdown run and a two-yard Sprinkle touchdown pass to Ward - cut the deficit to 24-21 at the half.

After Missouri Baptist tacked on a 36-yard field goal to open the second-half scoring, Sprinkle found Gilbert on a 41-yard touchdown pass to put SAU in front 28-27. The teams traded touchdowns with Casey's 74-yard scoring strike to Justin Wright tying the score at 35-35 late in the third. Joe Namio booted a 22-yard field goal in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, setting up the final minutes.

With the two quarterbacks rotating throughout the game, Sprinkle completed 11-of-18 passes for 187 yards while Casey went 7-of-13 for 166 yards. They each threw for two touchdowns.

Ward hauled in seven catches for 143 yards. Wright had two catches for 78 yards and Gilbert had three for 74. Demetrius Coleman had a 44-yard reception and Israel Taylor caught five passes.

Ray Bouye III ran for 104 yards, including a 77-yard scamper that set up SAU's first score, on just 12 carries. Kaden King ran for 20 yards on five attempts and T'Nahleg Hall picked up 15 yards.

Zak Alberts led the defense with 11 total tackles. Jesse Driver Jr. and George Litgen III were each in on eight tackles. De'Viann Titus-Porter was credited with six tackles and Drew Ackman had five.

Before the game, St. Ambrose honored Jayden Rodgers, Vince Shaw, Drew Ackman, Anthony Brown, Jackson Hunsicker, Jesse Driver Jr., Zak Alberts, Justin Wright, Donte Sibley, Ray Bouye III, Tyreece Morgan, T'Nahleg Hall, Cade Bianchi, Brock McCulloch, Marty O'Brien, Brian Ciciura, Alex Knoebel, Logan Wickens, Sharod Danage and Rian Schmidt. The Bees also recognized three of their managers - Jacob Cuda, Hannah Holder and Maggie McGreal - and senior members of the SAU Marching Band, Cheer and Dance programs.

SAU finished the season 2-8.