HAYS, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) ---
Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) and
Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) each hit home runs, but it was not enough as sixth-seeded McPherson College fell to top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 16-8, in the opening round of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Baseball Tournament at Larks Park.
McPherson (24-29) had no answer for OKWU left fielder Will Price, who went 4-for-6 with two home runs and eight RBIs. His first long ball was a three-run shot to left that gave the Eagles (45-9) a 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Haycock sent a 1-2 pitch over the center field fence for a solo home run.
After a scoreless second inning, Oklahoma Wesleyan put five runs on the board courtesy of five hits and a McPherson error. Price, Alec Hardin and Trevor Achenbach all had RBI singles in the inning.
Back-to-back RBI singles by
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) and
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) in the third cut the Eagle advantage to five runs, but Oklahoma Wesleyan responded with four more runs off the bat of Price - a two-run single in the fourth and a two-run home run in the sixth.
McPherson matched OKWU's output in the bottom of the sixth as Grayson drew a bases-loaded walk and
Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) scored on a RBI groundout by
Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC).
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 12-8 with three more runs in the eighth as Shields hit a two-run shot to left and Fleming scored on a Willow RBI double.
Chris Acosta-Tapia hit a three-run home run as part of a four-run ninth inning to help set the game's final margin.
Seven McPherson pitchers combined to allow 21 Oklahoma Wesleyan hits with starter
Matthew Green (Torrance, Calif., Brethren Christian HS) taking the loss after allowing 10 runs on 11 hits and a pair of walks while pitching into the fourth inning.
OKWU starter Blake Randazzo picked up the win on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits and five walks while striking five in six innings of work.
Each Eagle starter had at least one hit with five racking up at least three. In addition to Price's big game, Acosta-Tapia had three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored.
Fleming and Willow led McPherson with three hits each. Willow and Shields also each drove in two.
The Bulldogs will face second-seeded Tabor at 11 a.m. Friday in an elimination game at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend. The Bluejays (38-14) were upset by fifth-seeded York, 12-7, on Thursday afternoon.
