BETHANY, Okla. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball team stepped out of league play Tuesday and split a doubleheader with Southwestern Christian University at Eagle Field.
The Eagles (20-12) scored five runs in the eighth inning to pick up an 12-11 walk-off win in game one, but the Bulldogs (12-19) rode a complete-game pitching performance from
Soren Yarnall (Tustin, Calif., Santa Ana College) to an 8-4 win in game two.
Southwestern Christian 12, McPherson 11 (8 innings)
McPherson jujmped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first as
Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) and
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) scored when
Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) reached on an SCU error. The Bulldogs were able to load the bases, but
Kyle Wedel (Wasco, Calif., Taft College) grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Southwestern Christian evened the score with two runs in the bottom of the first off McPherson starter
Jarrod Manick (Aldergrove, B.C., Canada, Yale Secondary School), who allowed a pair of walks and a two-run double before being lifted in favor of
Cameron Oram (Cody, Wyo., Cody HS).
The Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 6-2 lead. Michael Lowe hit a two-run double and Corey Cupp and Cody Robinson hit back-to-back RBI singles.
The Bulldogs responded with a run in the sixth as
Reily Martin (Auburn, Kan., Hayden HS) scored on a
Cody Gilbertson (Lincoln, Neb., Lincoln HS) RBI single, then plated four in the seventh. Wedel drove in pinch-runners
Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) and
John Feaster (Gastonia, N.C., Junction City HS) with a single through the hole at second base, then Fontenot scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Gilberson followed with his second RBI single in as many innings, driving in
Jackson Goodmiller (St. George, Kan., Rock Creek HS) to give McPherson a 7-6 lead.
After a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh off
Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC), SCU tied the game when Kelvin Fabian scored on a Zach Graham sacrifice fly, which was the front half of a 9-2-5 double play. Klava struck out the next batter to get out of the inning and send the game to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, McPherson put four runs on the board. Klava scored on a Fleming RBI single and Goodmiller rapped a two-run single. The final run came across on another Gilbertson RBI single. The Bulldogs lost out on a chance to added to the lead as Goodmiller was thrown out trying to go from first tio third on the play.
SCU rallied for five runs on just two hits in the bottom of the frame to take the victory.
Blake Ware (Overland Park, Kan., Allen County CC) started the inning but lasted just five batters, allowing one run on two walks and two hit batters, while recording one out.
Zack McKay (Orange, Calif., Santa Ana College) was summoned from the bullpen to try and close out the game but Robinson plated one on a single to left before Cupp emptied the bases with a walk-off double to right-center.
McKay threw just five pitches but was tagged with the loss. He was one of seven McPherson pitchers used in the contest. Oram had the longest stint, allowing four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking none.
Shelby Sherrill got one out in the eighth and took the win. SCU starter Samuel Raglin provided a strong start, throwing six innings and allowing just three runs on six hits and four walks.
Gilbertson and Fleming each had three hits, accounting for half of McPherson's 12 hits, with Gilbertson driving in three. Haycock had two hits, while Wedel and Goodmiller each drove in two. The Bulldog offense was hampered by hitting into three double plays in the contest.
Lowe and Cupp each drove in four to lead the Eagles. Lowe and Robinson had three hits apiece.
McPherson 8, Southwestern Christian 4
The Bulldogs struck first in game two, scoring three runs in the third inning. Trent Smith led off the frame with a triple to right-center, then scored on a Klava RBI single. Klava and Haycock scored on a Fleming single up the middle. Martin followed with a single to load the bases, but SCU was able to get out of the inning without further damage when
Bryce Strecker (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS) flew out to center and Shields was called out on a controversial appeal at second base when it was ruled that he left the bag early when tagging up.
McPherson added a run in the fourth as
Tristan Hawkinson (Hutchinson, Kan., Buhler HS) scored on an fielding error and another in the sixth as Smith scored on a Klava RBI single.
Southwestern Christian plated its first run of the game in the fifth as Cupp led off the inning with a triple to left, then scored on an AJ Leingang RBI single. That would be all for the Eagles in the frame, though, as they stranded a pair of runners.
The hosts added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Cupp drove in Robinson with an RBI double, then scored on another Leingang RBI single.
The Bulldogs put the game out of reach with three runs in the top of the seventh as Feaster scored after stealing third when catcher Drew Umbro's throw down to third ended up in left field. Fontenot and Martin scored later in the inning on a Goodmiller double to left.
SCU scratched out one run on two hits in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough.
After using seven arms in game one, McPherson needed just one in game two. Yarnall allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out four in a complete game effort.
Klava finished with three hits and two RBIs to lead McPherson offensively. Goodmiller and
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) each added a hit and two RBIs. Smith had two hits and two runs scored from the No 9 spot in the order.
Cupp and Leingang had two hits each to account for four of SCU's nine hits. Leingang had two RBIs, while Cupp and Umbro had one apiece.
Southwestern Christian starter Donny Vail took the loss after allowing four runs on nine hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings.
The Bulldogs return to Light Capital Diamond this weekend as No. 3 Oklahoma Wesleyan University comes to McPherson for a three-game Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) series. First pitch for Friday's single nine-inning game is 7 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. and will be featured as the KCAC Game of the Week.
