McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball team opened its 2017 home slate with a doubleheader split against William Penn University Saturday at Light Capital Diamond, taking game one, 21-7, and falling in game two, 4-2.
Game 1 --- McPherson 21, William Penn 7
The teams combined for 31 hits in the series opener, including 19 from McPherson.
The Bulldogs plated two in the bottom of the first inning as
Trent Smith (Wellsville, Kan., Wellsville HS) scored on an
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) single to center and
Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC) scored when
Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) reached on an error.
William Penn drew even in the third when Cory Russell rapped a two-run single with none out. The Statesmen were primed to keep adding to their total, but the Bulldogs were able to get out of the inning with the bases loaded.
McPherson broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the third keyed by a two-run home run to right-center by Willow.
Jeysen Delgado led off the top of the fourth with a home run to chase Bulldog starter Cory Royer. Russell followed with an infield single and scored on double to deep right-center by Jared Goodman to cut the deficit to 7-4.
The Bulldogs added five runs in the fifth and nine in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Russell went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Statesmen offensively.
For McPherson, Fontenot was 3-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Klava was 3-for-6 with a pair of RBIs. He also scored three times. Willow and
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) both went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and
Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) scored twice early on as a courtesy runner for Willow, then rapped a two-run single as a part of McPherson's nine-run sixth.
D.J. Milam took the loss for William Penn, giving up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits over three innings, but it was Nick Seipel who took the brunt of the punishment from the McPherson offense. Seipel gave up 13 runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings.
Royer allowed three runs on five hits and six walks while striking out three in three innings.
Jeromy Denton (Mesa, Ariz., Colby CC) picked up the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk over two innings.
Loren Farley (Wellington, Kan., Wellington HS) retired all three batters he faced in the sixth, striking out two.
Game 2 --- William Penn 4, McPherson 2
The second game started out as much more of a pitcher's duel between William Penn's Felipe Hernandez and McPherson's
Soren Yarnall (Tustin, Calif., Santa Ana College). Despite that, the Bulldogs left the bases loaded in the first inning before grabbing the early lead in the bottom of the second when
Jackson Goodmiller (St. George, Kan., Rock Creek HS) scored on a
Reily Martin (Auburn, Kan., Hayden HS) single to right-center.
McPherson added to its lead in the third when Willow scored from first on a double deep down the left-field line by Fleming.
William Penn got on the board in the top of the fourth as Russell and Phillip Berman rapped back-to-back doubles to open the frame. The Statesmen ended up stranding runners at the corners.
After setting the Bulldogs down in order in the bottom of the fourth, Russell sent a 2-1 offering from Yarnall over the right-center field fence for a three-run home run.
McPherson registered a pair of hits in the fifth but were unable to cut into the Statesman lead.
William Penn registered nine hits to McPherson's seven, led by Russell, who finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs. Berman was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and drove in one.
Hernandez gave up a pair of runs, scattering seven hits and a pair of walks while striking out three. Frankie Nunez pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out two, to pick up the save.
Yarnall allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five over five innings.
Logan Worswick (Sachse, Texas, Sachse HS) and
Jesse Correll (Onaga, Kan., Rock Creek HS) combined for two innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out one.
McPherson was led by Klava and Willow, who each went 2-for-3.
The teams wrap up the weekend series on Sunday with another doubleheader. First pitch for game one is slated for noon at Light Capital Diamond.
