BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball team pushed No. 3 Oklahoma Wesleyan University to the limit in both halves of a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) doubleheader Saturday night at Doenges Memorial Stadium but ultimately came out on the losing end in both games.
The Eagles (28-6, 8-3 KCAC) won game one, 6-3, then outlasted the Bulldogs (12-21, 3-8 KCAC), 4-3, in nine innings in game two. Both games went past the three-hour mark in duration, making a long day longer after both squads made the three-hour drive from McPherson after the game site was switched late in the morning due to unplayable field conditions at Light Capital Diamond.
Game 1 --- Oklahoma Wesleyan 6, McPherson 3
After a scoreless opening frame that saw both teams strand a runner, Oklahoma Wesleyan broke the ice with a pair of runs in the second inning when Trevor Achenbach hit a two-run single to shallow center field with the bases loaded.
The Eagles failed to capitalize on a pair of McPherson errors in the third and fourth innings, stranding a total of three runners, to leave the door open for the Bulldogs.
Jackson Goodmiller (St. George, Kan., Rock Creek HS) and
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) opened the McPherson half of the fourth with singles to right. After a fielder's choice provided the first out of the inning,
Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) followed with another single towards right field to load the bases. Pinch runner
John Feaster (Gastonia, N.C., Junction City HS) plated the first Bulldog run on a
Reily Martin (Auburn, Kan., Hayden HS) RBI groundout.
Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) followed five pitches later when OKWU starter Zach Johnson was called for a balk.
McPherson grabbed the lead in the fifth when
Trent Smith (Wellsville, Kan., Wellsville HS) scored on a
Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC) double just inside the bag at third base that skittered all the way down the left-field line. That would be all the offense the Bulldogs could muster down the stretch, though.
Oklahoma Wesleyan scored one run in each of its final four at-bats, taking the lead in the seventh when Will Price scored on an RBI single down the left-field line by Alex Lugo.
The Eagles had nine hits and drew nine walks off four McPherson pitchers but ended up stranding 13 runners in the game.Â
Achenbach and Lugo had two hits apiece, with Achenbach also driving in two, drawing a walk and scoring once from the leadoff spot.
Johnson (4-0) earned the win on the mound, scattering three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings. Landon Williams, Lizandro Cruz and Tyler Shumpert each threw one scoreless inning with Shumpert scoring his ninth save of the year.
Fontenot led all players with three hits, while Klava had two hits and an RBI and Fleming had a hit and drew two walks.
McPherson starter
Blake Ware (Overland Park, Kan., Allen County CC) threw five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and five walks while striking out five before yielding to
Cameron Oram (Cody, Wyo., Cody HS) in the sixth. Oram (2-1), who took the loss, allowed two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Oklahoma Wesleyan 4, McPherson 3 (9 innings)
In game two, McPherson starting pitcher Dylan Klava worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first inning without allowing a run, then promptly led off the bottom half of the frame with a double down the right-field line. He advanced to third on a ground out, then scored on a Fleming RBI single to shallow right to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles responded with three runs in the top of the second as Achenbach hit a two-run triple to deep right field, then scored on an RBI single by Rudolfo Oleta.
McPherson rallied to tie the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning as Martin and Smith scored on a two-run single by Goodmiller.
After that, the game settled into a pitcher's duel between Klava and OKWU starter Carlos Aldana. The pair combined to allow just one base runner over the next three innings - a leadoff walk to Oleta in the top of the fifth inning.
Klava was lifted to start the sixth in favor of
Matthew Green (Torrance, Calif., Brethren Christian HS). Green threw to two batters before yielding.Â
Brett Carter (Sachse, Texas, Sachse HS) - a converted catcher - was summoned from the bullpen, assuming an 0-1 count against Mikey Ortega with one out and pinch runner Kent Korenek at second base. Ortega proceeded to single up the middle. Korenek advanced to third on the play, but was thrown out at home trying to take the extra base. Jalen Jackson grounded out to third to end the Eagle threat.
The Bulldogs chased Aldana from the game in the bottom of the sixth after Dylan Fontenot led off the frame with a double to deep right field. Fontenot moved to third on a ground out but was caught attempting to steal home on a failed squeeze play. Ortega, the OKWU catcher, called for a pitch out from reliever Lizandro Cruz. At the plate, Reily Martin was unable to connect on his bunt attempt, leaving Fontenot exposed.
After working around a one-out single by Oleta in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs had an opportunity to win the game in regulation. Pinch-hitter
Desmond Grayson (Olathe, Kan., Olathe North HS) doubled deep down the left-field line to lead off the inning. After consecutive infield outs failed to advance the runner to third, leadoff hitter Klava was gifted an intentional pass. The threat was neutralized, however, when Cruz struck out Goodmiller to end the inning.
Oklahoma Wesleyan stranded a pair in the top of the eighth without a score, while McPherson went down in order on successive ground-outs. The Eagles finally broke through with a run in the ninth as Achenbach scored on an Oleta single through the right side. The Bulldogs were unable to provide an answer in their final at-bat, going down in order to end the game.
Cruz (4-0) grabbed the win after throwing three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two. Shumpert threw a perfect ninth for his second save of the day and 10th of the season.
Aldana finished with a no-decision, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out seven.
Oleta finished with three of OKWU's eight hits. He also walked twice and drove in a pair. Achenbach added two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Ortega had two hits.
Carter (0-1) took the loss after throwing 3 2/3 innings of relief. He scattered four hits and walked one while striking out two. Klava struck out six in five innings of work.
Six different Bulldogs had base hits, including doubles from Fontenot, Klava and Grayson. Goodmiller snagged two of McPherson's three RBIs, while Fleming had the other.
"I feel like we're one of the more resilient teams in the NAIA," said head coach Bryan Moses. "We've had numerous heartbreaking losses and our guys never seem to quit. We always come back and put in a good effort. To take No. 3 in the country down to the wire, it's something that involves a lot of work. Today, we had two good pitching performances, and hits at the right time, but once we got into extra innings, their guys that come out of the bullpen [Cruz, Shumpert] are really tough. We tried to scratch out a run but couldn't do it."
"[Brett] Carter's a guy right now that's trying to find his own identity," added Moses. "Throughout his career, I think he's had so many roles - catcher, third base, outfield, pitcher - and we've been working him a little more in the bullpen lately to kind of mold him into this role and he's done a fantastic job with it."
The teams finish up the three-game set at 1 p.m. Sunday with another nine-inning game at Doenges Memorial Stadium.
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