McPherson, Kan. – McPherson College baseball played their final two non-conference games of the season this Tuesday against cross-town rival Central Christian College. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs dropped both contests 6-2, 3-2, putting them at 8-36 on the year.
Game 1 – 6-2 Central Christian College
Aside from one inning, this was a very tight contest. Following two scoreless innings, Central put the first run on the board in the third. The Tigers would then explode in the fourth as they scored five to put their lead at 6-0. McPherson scored two on a Kyle McDonald two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh but fell short, losing 6-2.
MC logged seven hits and one walk in game one. McDonald and John Lauts led the team in hits with two apiece while Stephon Miller got aboard twice, once on a hit and again on a walk.
Treyton DeVore pitched the first three and two-thirds innings for Mac; the freshman allowed four runs on five hits and two walks. Colter Streck finished up the fourth for McPherson and then was relieved by Brant Rhoades who threw for the next two innings. Keegan Hays closed out the game for the Bulldogs.
Game 2 – 3-2 Central Christian College
CCC was the first to score in the second outing of the night but a two-run third by McPherson put the Bulldogs ahead 2-1; Mac was able to capitalize on a Central error to help them get their runs across. The Tigers tied it up in the bottom half of the third and then jumped in front 3-2 after a one-run fourth. MC had one final chance in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases with just one out. A strikeout and groundout to second finished the game at 3-2 in favor of Central.
The Bulldogs had just three hits in the second game but they also were walked four times, once by getting hit by a pitch. Matt Bryan, Bryce Strecker, and Dylan Fontenot were the MC players to earn a hit.
Starting on the mound for Mac was Jesse Correll. The freshman went three and two-thirds before being replaced by Streck; Correll gave up all three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four. Streck finished the night for MC, striking out two of the eight batters he faced.
McPherson will be back to KCAC play this weekend as they host NAIA No. 8 Tabor College on April 18th at Light Capital Diamonds; start time for the doubleheader is slated for 1:00 p.m. (CT)
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McPherson College is a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member school and a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
