EL DORADO, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball forged a split in a doubleheader with Southwestern Christian University Tuesday night at McDonald Stadium, dropping the opener, 5-2, before rebounding for a 7-1 win in the nightcap.
The games were moved to El Dorado from Bethany, Oklahoma, due to unplayable field conditions on Southwestern Christian's home field. McPherson became the designated home team for the neutral site games after the schools agreed to move the return doubleheader on March 21 from McPherson to Oklaoma.
Game 1 --- Southwestern Christian 5, McPherson 2
The Eagles struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning as Corey Cupp and Kelvin Fabian scored on a double to left-center field by Anthony Ward.
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) cut the deficit in half with a solo home run to lead off the Bulldog second.
After reaching on a two-out walk in the top of the third inning, Cupp scored on a deep fly ball by Cody Robinson that landed at the base of the wall in center field. Fabian followed with a double down the left-field line to plate Robinson and make it a 4-1 game.
McPherson had a pair of runners on in the bottom of the third, but SCU relief pitcher Jacob Spencer posted a pair of strikeouts to get out of the inning.
The Eagles extended the lead to 5-1 in the fourth with a solo home run by Michael Lowe off the scoreboard in right field.
Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) responded with a solo shot of his own in the bottom half of the inning.
Southwestern Christian threatened in the fifth, as the first batters reached base, but consecutive pop-outs in foul territory and a fly-out to left field got the Bulldogs out of the inning.
The Bulldogs put together a rally in the bottom of the inning as
Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) hit a double to deep left field with one out, then moved to third when
Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC) reached on a throwing error. Southwestern Christian reliever Jesus Ambriz struck out the next two batters to escape danger.
McPherson had a total of three baserunners in the final two innings but could not push a run across.
A trio of Eagle pitchers combined to scatter five hits and three walks while striking out nine. Spencer picked up the win in relief, while Ambriz scored a three-inning save.
Soren Yarnall (Tustin, Calif., Santa Ana College) took the loss for McPherson after allowing four runs on four hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Cameron Oram (Cody, Wyo., Cody HS) pitched 4 1/3 innings of solid relief, scattering four hits and allowing just one run.
Fleming and Fontenot each finished with solo home runs to lead the Bulldogs. Haycock added a double, while Klava added a single.
Trent Smith (Wellsville, Kan., Wellsville HS) also had a hit, drew two walks and stole a pair of bases.
Cupp and Fabian each had two hits to lead Southwestern Christian.
Game 2 --- McPherson 7, Southwestern Christian 1
McPherson struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. After drawing back-to-back two-out walks, Fontenot and
Bryce Strecker (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS) scored when
Reily Martin (Auburn, Kan., Hayden HS) drilled a ball off the left-field fence for a double.
The Bulldogs exploded for five runs in the third frame. After loading the bases with a double, an infield single and a walk, Haycock and Klava scored on a single through the left side by Fleming. Strecker followed with a sacrifice bunt that scored
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS), and
Brett Carter (Sachse, Texas, Sachse HS) had a two-run single through the right side to score Fontenot and Martin.
Southwestern Christian scratched out a run in the fourth. After a pair of walks from McPherson starter
Blake Ware (Overland Park, Kan., Allen County CC) put runners on first and second, Drew Umbro scored on a Cody Robinson single to right field.
Ware went six innings, scattering four hits and three walks while striking out three to pick up the win and improve to 2-1 overall. Klava pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing just a walk while striking out two.
Haycock was the only Bulldog with multiple hits with two, while Fleming, Martin and Carter each drove in a pair.
"[Southwestern Christian is] a quality team," said head coach
Bryan Moses. "They threw some really good arms at us. It was nice to play such a quality brand of baseball today. With a couple more timely hits in the first game, we might have swept the day."
The Bulldogs (7-7) travel to Springfield, Missouri, this weekend to face Evangel University in a four-game series. Doubleheaders are set for Friday and Saturday afternoons with first pitch for game one scheduled for noon both days.
