FORT WORTH, Texas (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball team was swept by Texas Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon to open a four-game weekend series at Sycamore Park. The Bulldogs dropped game one, 8-1, then pushed game two to extra innings before falling, 7-5, in 12 innings.
Game 1 --- Texas Wesleyan 8, McPherson 1
McPherson struck first in game one, tallying a run in the second inning when
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) singled to lead off the frame, moved to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch, then scored when
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) grounded into a double play with none out.
After stranding two runners each in the first and second innings, Texas Wesleyan scored two runs on three hits in the third. The Rams added another run in the fourth and five in the fifth keyed by a Luis Roman grand slam, and had the opportunity for more, but left a total of five runners on base over the two innings.
The Bulldogs notched one hit in each of the final three innings, and left the bases loaded in the seventh, but could not push another run across.
Stephen Yancey scattered six hits and three walks while striking out six in a complete-game win on the mound for Texas Wesleyan.
Starter
Cory Royer (Las Vegas, Nev., Dodge City CC) went just 3 2/3 innings for McPherson, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks.
Six separate Bulldogs recorded singles in the opener.
Game 2 --- Texas Wesleyan 7, McPherson 5 (12 innings)
Jose Ibarra hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to give Texas Wesleyan the victory in game two. The Rams had forced extra innings on a solo homerun by Casey Moses to lead off the seventh inning.
The hosts scored the game's first run when Caden Williams crossed courtesy of a Bulldog error.
McPherson responded with three runs in the third on a balk, a sacrifice fly and an RBI double by Fleming.
Another Bulldog error in the third allowed the Rams to cut the deficit to a single run, but McPherson added to its lead in the fifth on an RBI groundout by
Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC) and another RBI double from Fleming.
Texas Wesleyan answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Garrett Crook doubled followed by an RBI triple by Roman and an RBI single by Ibarra.
McPherson had an opportunity to add to its lead in the seventh after back-to-back two-out singles by
Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) and Klava put runners on the corners. The potential rally was halted when Haycock was picked off at third for the third out.
After Moses tied the game in the seventh, the Rams had chances to win the game in the eight and ninth innings. In the eighth, TWU opened the inning with back-to-back hits by Kiki Menendez and Williams, CJ Ateek was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Bulldogs forced Menendez out at home on a fielder's choice, then got out of the inning with a double play. In the ninth, Roman was stranded at third after a two-out triple.
McPherson was limited to a pair of base runners in extra innings.
Three Texas Wesleyan pitchers combined to allow five runs on 11 hits over eight innings before Evan Rogers a scoreless final four innings with five strikeouts to get the win.
Roman finished with four hits, including a double and two triples, while Ibarra, Menendez and Williams all had two hits.
Matthew Green (Torrance, Calif., Brethren Christian HS) scattered four runs on six hits over five innings before yielding to Klava, who threw the final six innings after starting the game in center field. He allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out one.
Haycock and Fleming each had three hits, while Klava posted a pair of hits. Fleming also had a pair of RBIs.
The teams will finish the four-game set on Sunday with another doubleheader. First pitch for game one is slated for 1 p.m. at Sycamore Park.
