LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) ---
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) had three hits and drove in a run but the McPherson College baseball team lost the third and final game of its Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) weekend series to the University of Saint Mary, 10-6, Sunday at the USM Baseball Field.
The Bulldogs (11-18, 3-6 KCAC) had an early opportunity as two of the first three batters of the game reached safely, but the Spires (6-19, 4-5 KCAC) were able to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
Saint Mary grabbed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first and added a third in the second to lead 3-0 before McPherson was able to mount a response.
The visitors struck for a pair of runs in the fourth as
Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) and
Bryce Strecker (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS) scored on a two-out bases-loaded single to left by
Trent Smith (Wellsville, Kan., Wellsville HS).
The Spires added two more runs in the fifth as Richard Sanchez scored on an Adam Stebbins RBI single. Stebbins came around to score the second run on an RBI single by Guillermo Loera.
Stebbins rapped a two-run single to center in the seventh inning to extend the lead to 7-2.
McPherson's bats came alive in the eighth inning. The Bulldogs hit four straight singles to open the frame with
Jackson Goodmiller (St. George, Kan., Rock Creek HS) scoring on a Fontenot RBI single with the bases loaded.
Reily Martin (Auburn, Kan., Hayden HS) grounded into a fielder's choice allowing Fleming to score and
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) came across on a Strecker sacrifice fly for the third run of the inning. Martin would be stranded, however, as
Brett Carter (Sachse, Texas, Sachse HS) was retired to end the inning.
Saint Mary got all three runs back in the bottom half of the inning as Jordan Wilkerson took the first pitch he saw from McPherson reliever
Jeromy Denton (Mesa, Ariz., Colby CC) over the left-field fence for a three-run home run.
The Bulldogs scored plated one in the top of the ninth as
Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) scored on a two-out RBI single by Fleming, but they were unable to get another baserunner aboard as Willow grounded out to second base to end the game.
Zack Novis struck out five in a complete-game effort to get the win for Saint Mary. He allowed six runs - four earned - on 10 hits and one walk.
Blake Ware (Overland Park, Kan., Allen County CC) took the loss after giving up seven runs (four earned) on seven hits and thee walks in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out four.
McPherson out hit Saint Mary, 10-9, in the contest. Aside from Fleming, Strecker was the only other Bulldog with multiple hits (two). Smith's two RBIs were a team-high while Fleming, Fontenot, Martin and Strecker each drove in one.
Stebbins had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Spires. Wilkerson was not far off those numbers, though, with two hits, three RBIs and three runs scored. Loera also drove in a pair, while Sanchez and Jeremy Melvin each scored a pair of runs.
The Bulldogs take to the road Tuesday to face Southwestern Christian University in a nonconference doubleheader before hosting No. 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan University in a three-game KCAC series Friday and Saturday. Tuesday's doubleheader in Bethany, Oklahoma, begins at 1 p.m. Friday's single nine-inning game begins at 7 p.m., while the Saturday doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. Saturday's games will also be featured as the KCAC Game of the Week.
