McPherson, Kan. – The McPherson College baseball team completed the series sweep over the York College Panthers taking both games of the double header on Saturday out at Bulldog Park.
The Bulldogs run ruled the Panthers in the opener on Saturday winning 17-7 in seven innings, and they did so without a single homerun. Instead they used 10 singles, two doubles and a triple to do their damage.
Things didn't start out well in the second game of the series. The Panthers put up four runs in the top of the first, and the Bulldog were shutout in the first two innings. The Bulldogs finally got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third, then tied the game with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
In the top of the fifth, the Panthers responded with three runs to retake the lead 7-4. After a scoreless fifth for the Bulldogs, they broke the game open scoring nine runs and forcing the Panthers to use two pitchers out of the Bullpen. Heading into the seventh inning, the Bulldogs led 13 to 7. They added four more in the bottom of the seventh, to end the game two innings early.
The Bulldog offense went through Kyle Lux in the first game Saturday. The senior right fielder went 3 for 5 with a triple and 3 RBI. Joining Lux with a multi-hit performance were Kris Perez, Noah Nelson, Trevor Johnson, and Malik Bond. Nelson and Bond both had doubles, the rest of the hits were singles.
Blake Maddock got the start on the bump in Saturday's opener. After allowing four runs in the first inning, he settled down, allowing just two more runs over the next three and a third innings. In all he allowed six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Drake Miller came on in relief of Maddock with one out in the fifth. We worked the next two and two-thirds giving up one run on two hits. The Bulldogs took the lead with Miller on the mound so he was credited with the win.
In the final game of the series, the Bulldog offense kept rolling. They scored 16 more runs, scoring at least one run in every inning, on 20 hits. The Bulldogs scored 14 of their 16 runs in innings three through six. They put up four runs in both the third and fifth innings, and three in the fourth and sixth.
After not hitting a homerun in the first game of the day, the Bulldogs got back on track with two in the finale. The first two hits for the Bulldogs in the game left the yard. Jake Pearson hit the first, a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning, and in their next at bat, Tyler Wood also hit a solo shot.
The Bulldogs had five other extra base hits, all of them doubles by Johnson, Perez, Nelson, Pearson, and Grant Asadoor. Pearson and Nelson led the Bulldog offense, both going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI.
Tyler Norris picked up the win in Saturday's finale. He got the start and went six innings, giving up just two runs on three hits with ten strikeouts and three walks. In the seventh inning, the Bulldogs went to the pen and brought in freshman Brett Maddock. He faced four hitters, giving up just one run, and recorded a strikeout.
"It's always a good feeling to take three games from a fellow KCAC team," said Bulldog skipper Bryan Moses. "This conference is playing at a high level. Nearly all the top teams were able to sweep this weekend. The KCAC is without a doubt, a top three baseball conference in America. There is no room for error."
The series sweep puts the Bulldogs at 25-5 overall, and 13-3 in KCAC play. They will take the field again on Tuesday for a midweek match-up with the Tabor College Bluejays out a Bulldog Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
