McPherson, Kan. – The McPherson College baseball team opened their weekend series with the York College Panthers with a bang. The Bulldogs hit nine homeruns on their way to a 25-12 run rule in the eighth inning.
The Bulldogs got started early, putting up six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Kris Perez led off the Bulldogs' half of the first, hitting the first pitch he saw over the right centerfield fence. Seven batters later, Malik Bond hit a three run shot.
In the second inning the Bulldogs put up three more runs, all of them coming on a homerun by James Canar, the first of two bombs on the day for the Bulldog second baseman. In inning later Noah Nelson led off with a solo shot, Jake Pearson hit a two run shot, and Canar hit his second homerun of the day to give the Bulldogs six more runs and a 15 to 3 lead.
In the fourth inning, just one homerun, a two run line drive to straight away center by Trevor Johnson. The Bulldogs gave the Panthers a break in the fifth and sixth innings, but got the homerun train going again in the seventh when Hunter Robinson parked one over the left centerfield fence.
The last and biggest home run of the day came in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded, Tyler Wood hit a grand slam to end the game an inning early via the run rule.
In all, the Bulldogs scored 25 runs on 16 hits, 11 of them of the extra base variety. Five Bulldogs recorded multiple hits led by Johnson and Canar, who were both 3 for 4. Canar finished his day with a single and two homeruns, driving in seven runs.
Defensively, it wasn't the Bulldogs' sharpest performance. They committed four errors on the day leading to three unearned runs for the Panthers. Alex Escobar got the start on the mound for the Bulldogs. He pitched extremely well through five innings in what were very tough pitching conditions out at Bulldog Park. In the first five innings, he allowed just three runs, but in the top of the 6th, the Panthers finally got to him. He got one out in the inning, but the Panthers roughed him up to the tune of six runs on six hits.
The Bulldogs went to their pen and brought out Isaiah Vasquez, who worked the next inning and a third giving up two runs, neither of them earned, on two hits. Next out of the pen was Jacob Gilcrease. He held the Panthers hitless and scoreless in an inning and a third of work.
With the win, the Bulldogs moved to 23-5 overall, and 11-5 in KCAC play. The Bulldogs and Panthers will run it back again tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at 12:00 pm.
