Hobbs, N.M. – After splitting the first two games of a four game series, on the road, against the University of the Southwest Mustangs, the McPherson College baseball team bounced back and took both games on Sunday, to win the series 3-1.
The Bulldogs sent
Garrett Connor (Jr. Highlands Ranch, Colo.) to the hill for the start in Sunday's opening game. Connor went three and a third, keeping the Mustangs off the scoreboard, and scattering three hits. He left with the lead and one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, but because he didn't finish the fourth, he did not factor into the decision.
Brett Carter (Jr. Sachse, Texas), came on in relief of Connor, and worked the next two innings. Carter also pitched well, and gave up just one run on three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Carter got the first out of the sixth inning, but the Mustangs plated one run, so the Bulldog coaching staff elected to bring
Blake Slaymaker (Jr. Johnstown, Colo.) out of the pen.
Slaymaker worked just two-thirds of an inning, and was charged with three runs on one hit. The Bulldogs then went to
Tyler Dunn (So. Lawton, Okla.), out of the bullpen to finish things out. Dunn got in one inning of work, keeping the Mustangs off the scoreboard, and holding them to just one hit.
Offensively, the Bulldog hitters pounded out ten hits, and scored six runs. Three Bulldogs recorded six of the ten hits, each going 2 for 4 in the game.
Kyle Lux (Jr. Lewes, Del.) had two singles and drove in a run,
Brevin Baessler (Sr. Gilbert, Arizona) also reached base twice with a pair of singles, and
Dominick Ramos (Sr. Fresno, Calif.) hit two singles, scored a run, and drove in another.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a three run lead with two runs in the top of the second, and then another run in the fourth. The Mustangs put up a crooked number in the sixth inning, plating three runs to tie the game. In the next half inning, the Bulldogs bounced back with three runs of their own to retake the lead 6-3. With one final chance, the Mustangs managed to score one run, but their comeback fell short, and the Bulldogs escaped with the win 6-4.
In the series finale, the Bulldogs got a quality start from
Josh Lewis (So. Loveland, Colo.), who picked up win, in six innings of work. He allowed three runs on six hits, struck out four and walked just one in earning his first win of the season.
Jordan Keanini (So. Las Vegas, Nev.) started the seventh inning, but was lifted after walking the first batter he faced. The Bulldogs then called on
Mairion Brunken (Jr. Willemstad, Curacao), to finish the game. Brunken faced four hitters, getting the first to ground out to third. He hit the second batter he faced, then got the third hitter to pop out to second base. With the tying run on first base, and the winning run at the plate, Brunken dug in and got the final Mustang hitter to strikeout to end the game and pick up the save.
The Bulldogs' four runs came on nine hits, led by
Lane Fleming (Sr. Council Grove, Kan.), who went 3 for 4 with a pair of singles and a double. Ramos had the only other extra base hit for the Bulldogs. He had a double in the second inning that drove in two runs. He would later score on a single by
Jakob Shields (Jr. DeSoto, Kan.), as part of the Bulldogs' three run second inning.
The Bulldogs led 3-0 through the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs got on the board with a solo run. An inning later they scored two more to tie the game heading into the final inning. In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs retook the lead when
McCoy Pearce (Jr. Kamloops, B.C.) scored when
Mark Strebin (Sr. Westville, Ill.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Coach Moses liked the grit his guys showed on Sunday saying, "Lots of heart today from our guys. Pitchers deserve a lot of credit with the way they threw this weekend. We were supposed to play at home this weekend, but the guys made the most of it. Nice work by the DOGS being road warriors."
With the wins, the Bulldogs move to 5-3 overall. They will get a chance to improve on that record on Tuesday when they play their home opener against crosstown rival Central Christian College. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm at Bulldog Park.
