@MacCollegeBSB Splits Doubleheader at Hastings

HASTINGS, Neb. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball team opened a stretch of seven straight nonconference games with a doubleheader split against Hastings College Wednesday at Duncan Field.

The Bulldogs (20-13) took game one, 5-1, while the Broncos (8-13) posted an 8-1 victory in the nightcap.
  
Game 1 – McPherson 5, Hastings 1
Hastings struck first, turning a leadoff walk to Tynan O'Brien into a run three batters later as Zack Peterson lofted an RBI single to shallow left.
 
After drawing a walk in each of the first two innings, McPherson exploded for five runs in the third on three hits and a Bronco error – all with two outs. Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) drove in pinch-runner Trent Smith (Wellsville, Kan., Wellsville HS) with an RBI single down the left-field line. Brevin Baessler (Tempe, Ariz., Western Nebraska CC) and Dylan Fontenot (Carencro, La., Carencro HS) reached on RBI singles of their own before coming around to score when Mark Strebin (Westville, Ill., Danville Area CC) reached on a throwing error.
 
The Broncos had one hitter reach in the bottom of the third, as did the Bulldogs in the top of the fourth, but both runners ended up being stranded at second base.
 
McPherson came close to extending its lead in the top of the sixth as Trevor Haycock rapped a one-out single and Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) reached on dropped third strike when Eric Anderson's errant throw pulled AJ Schaefbauer off the bag at first base, but a Ramos flyout to right ended the frame.
 
McPherson starter Garrett Connor (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Arapahoe HS) worked his way out of a jam in the bottom of the inning after Schaefbauer hit a double to the wall in left and Zach Peterson was hit by a pitch to put two on with just one out. Anderson grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out and Dylan Fitzgerald flew out to right for out No. 3.
 
After retiring the Bulldogs in order in the seventh, Hastings had one last chance. Bulldog reliever Jarrod Manick (Aldergrove, B.C., Canada, Yale Secondary School) gave up back-to-back singles to left to open the frame, but got the first out when he picked up a ball that ricocheted off his foot. Manick followed with a strikeout then got Schaefbauer to ground out to short to end the game.
 
The Bulldogs got a solid outing out of Connor, who allowed just one run on three hits and a walk while striking out three in six innings.
 
Zach Fritton took the loss for Hastings, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out three in 5 2/3 innings. Ryan Schrad threw the final 1 1/3 innings, striking out one.
 
Both teams had five hits with Shields, Willow, Baessler, Fontenot and Haycock all hitting singles for the Bulldogs. No Bronco had more than one hit, while Schaefbauer's double was the lone extra-base knock in the contest.

"I think we rode Garrett's momentum," said head coach Bryan Moses. "The only inning he gave up a run was when we walked the leadoff batter. He was just super-competitive through six innings and that gave us a big boost, especially with three games coming up this weekend. The thing he did so well was that he pitched with a lead. The [five-run third inning] really put him at ease. He kept pounding the [strike] zone and let our defense go to work. He was just really clean. I thought the whole team was clean in game one."
 
Game 2 – Hastings 8, McPherson 1
Hastings started game two just as the had game one with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Schrad reached on a two-out single to left, then advanced to second on a throwing error before scoring on a Peterson RBI single up the middle.

Unlike in game one, however, it was the Broncos who had the big inning. Hastings scored five runs in the bottom of the second on two hits and an error. Fitzgerald reached on a single to open the frame, then came around to score as McPherson starter Cameron Oram (Cody, Wyo., Cody HS) hit three of the next four batters. With one out and the bases still loaded, Schrad hit a single to shallow right that fell in between three Bulldog defensive players. That allowed one run to score, while an ensuing throwing error cleared the bases.

After a scoreless third inning, McPherson mounted a charge in the top of the fourth. The Bulldogs put runners on second and third with just one out but could not push a runner across. McPherson was able to plate a run one inning later, however as Joe Kraus (Westminster, Colo., Barstow CC) scored on a double down the right-field line.

Hastings added two more runs in the sixth on a Trey Fleming two-run single with the bases loaded.

Bronco pitcher Bryce McMullen limited the Bulldogs to just two hits - Wedel's double and a Haycock single to lead off the fourth - while striking out 11 in a complete-game effort.

Schrad had two hits and scored twice to lead Hastings offensively, while Fleming drove in two.

Oram allowed six runs (three earned) on four hits while striking out five in five innings, while Treyton DeVore (Inman, Kan., Inman HS) was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk in one inning of work.

"Hastings made a couple of errors in our big inning in game one and we made them pay," added Moses. "Unfortunately, they turned the tables and did the same thing to us in game two.

"We played a lot of guys today and those guys, especially those that played in game two, have a chance to be a part of our future. Those are big at-bats, big defensive opportunities for those guys, so it goes a long way. Getting them experience does help, but sometimes it's a fine line to walk as a coach as you're also trying to win every game."

The Bulldogs play their next five games at home, beginning this weekend with a three-game series against Manhattan Christian College.

"We know nothing about Manhattan Christian," Moses said. "We're not going to treat these games any differently than any other weekend series. Of course, things will change in the flow of the game, but we want to prepare for these games as we would for a KCAC weekend series."

The series starts at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon with a nine-inning game at Bulldog Park and concludes Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.