WICHITA, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) ---
Dylan Fontenot (Carencro, La., Carencro HS) and
Evan Willow (Victoria, B.C., Canada, Lambrick Park HS) both homered and
Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS) had three hits to lead the McPherson College baseball team, but the Bulldogs could not hold off a late charge by (RV) Friends University in a 10-6 loss Friday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
McPherson (25-14, 5-11 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) led 6-2 through 4 1/2 innings before Friends (22-10, 15-4 KCAC) plated eight unanswered runs.
The Bulldogs nearly grabbed an early lead in the first inning as
Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) reached on a one-out single and moved to third on a Fleming single, but the Falcons avoided any damage when Willow grounded into a double play to end the frame.
Fontenot followed with a solo home run in the second inning to give McPherson a 1-0 lead.
Friends answered with a run in the third when Andrew Chartrand drew a leadoff walk from McPherson starter
Josh Lewis (Loveland, Colo., Thompson Valley HS) and came around to score on a Reily Carroll RBI groundout to short.
The first four McPherson batters reached base in the fourth, leading to three runs on a Fontenot RBI double and a two-run double by
Mark Strebin (Westville, Ill., Danville Area CC).
The Falcons plated another run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-2. Emilio Navarro reached on a one-out triple, then scored on a Justin Fink RBI single to right. Fink advanced to third as back-to-back singles by Chartrand and Jacob Trimble loaded the bases with two outs but Augie Isaacson grounded out to second to end the threat.
Both teams tallied two runs in the fifth inning. Fleming led off the top half of the frame with a single and scored when Willow launched a two-run home run over the left-field wall. Friends responded in the bottom half with a two-run triple by Fink.
The hosts jumped on the Bulldogs in the sixth inning, tallying four runs on just two hits off three McPherson pitchers. Friends also drew three walks - including two with the bases loaded - and had one batter hit by a pitch in the frame. Jace Snodgrass added an RBI single, while the fourth run scored on a fielder's choice.
Fleming and Willow singled to lead off the McPherson half of the seventh but the Falcons got out of the inning with a pair of fly-ball outs sandwiched around a ground ball to short that resulted in a force out.
Friends tacked on two more runs in the seventh as Isaacson hit a triple to right to score Trimble, then came in to score when the ensuing relay was mishandled.
The Bulldogs were retired in order in the eighth. In the ninth, Fleming drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, but a strikeout and a fly-out to left ended the game.
Jason Braziel struck out six to get the win in a complete-game effort for the Falcons.
Fink had three hits - including one of Friends' three triples in the game - and had a game-high four RBIs. Isaacson also had three hits including a triple.
Lewis was charged with six runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out one after pitching into the sixth inning.
Garrett Connor (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Arapahoe HS) and
Tyler Dunn (Lawton, Okla., Eisenhower HS) were each hung with two runs on two hits and a walk over the next 1 1/3 innings with Connor picking up the loss.
Jake Herman (San Diego, Calif., Coronado HS) threw the final 1 2/3 innings for McPherson, striking out two while allowing two hits and a walk.
Willow and Fontenot each had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Bulldogs on offense. Fleming added three singles and drew a walk, while Strebin drove in two.
The teams complete the three-game series with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. First pitch for game one from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.
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