Photo by Jakob Komel
McPherson, Kan. – The McPherson College baseball team completed the series sweep of Peru State College by taking games three and four on Sunday, walking it off in both games, in extra innings.
The Bulldogs scored a run in the first and third innings to lead the Bobcats 2-0, but in the top of the fourth, Peru State tied the game on a two run homerun. The Bulldogs bounced right back in their half of the fourth on an RBI single from Gage Ninness. In the fifth, the Bobcats tied the game again, but the Bulldogs retook the lead again in their next at bat on an RBI single from Hunter Robinson. In the top of the sixth, the Bobcats rallied and tied the game at four, and when neither team could manufacture a run in the seventh, the game headed to extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, Trevor Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to right center field that scored Niness from third to end the game by a score of 5-4.
The Bulldogs employed four pitchers in game three beginning with Drake Miller, who worked the first five innings allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts and zero walks. After Miller it was Jace Mapston and Jacob Gilcrease out of the bullpen. Mapston failed to record an out, giving up one run on one hit. Gilcrease worked two innings holding the Bobcats hitless and scoreless with a pair of strikeouts. The win would ultimately go to Broc Selstrom who replaced Gilcrease in the eighth with another scoreless and hitless inning.
Offensively, the Bulldogs scored five runs on nine hits, all of the single variety. Eight different Bulldogs registered a hit with Caleb Feuerstake recording the only multi-hit game. He was 2 for 3 with two stolen bases, and two runs scored.
In the finale, they had to come from behind three times to complete the series sweep. They trailed the Bobcats 2-0 after the first half inning, but tied the game in their first at bat. In the top of the third, the Bobcats struck again with two more runs, and held a 4-2 lead until the bottom of the sixth when the Bulldogs cut the deficit in half on and RBI triple by Feuerstake that scored Jake Pearson. In the bottom of the seventh, Trevor Johnson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, tying the game and sending it into extra innings.
With failing light an issue, it was decided that the International Tie Breaker would be employed, placing the hitter who made the final out in the previous inning on second base. The first hitter for the Bobcats hit a two run homerun to put them up again, 6-4. In the bottom of the eighth, Feuerstake came through with a huge homerun over the rightfield fence, with Jake Pearson on second base, tying the game again. Kevinn Castillo then walked and was then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Hayden Foster. With one out and a runner on second, Tony Hyrnkiw hit a ball into the right center field gap brining Castillo around from second to score the winning run.
Alex Amaral was the starting pitcher for the Bulldogs in the finale. He went the first three innings giving up four runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Julio Acosta worked the next three innings out of the pen, allowing no runs on just one hit with five strikeouts. After Acosta it was Isaiah Vasquez who worked an inning allowing two runs on one hit. The win would ultimately go to Robbie Schmidt who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bulldog offense scored seven runs on six hits, three of them extra base hits. Once again it was Feuerstake who had the only multi-hit game for the Bulldogs. He finished 2 for 3 with a triple, a homerun, four RBI and one run scored.
Head Coach Kyle MacKinnon was pleased with the play this weekend saying, "It's always good to sweep a weekend, but it was very rewarding to win in a bunch of different ways, and with many different contributors both in the lineup and on the mound. We were very happy with our pitching, as many arms were used due to conference play starting on Tuesday. Players stepped up all weekend, and it was awesome to see."
 The wins on Sunday move the Bulldogs to 10-4 on the season. As Coach MacKinnon mentioned, the Bulldogs will begin KCAC play this Tuesday, hosting the Tabor College Bluejays in a single 9 inning game out at Bulldog Park beginning at 1:00 pm.
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