McPHERSON, Kan. — The McPherson College Bulldogs swept the doubleheader Sunday (Feb. 18) against the Evangel University Valor before dropping the third game Monday (Feb. 20) to secure their first series win of the season at Bulldog Park.
GAME ONE – MC 7, EU 6 (11 innings)
Trailing 5-0 headed into the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs erased that lead to send the game into extra innings.
Colin Evers sparked the comeback with a solo home run in the seventh, then MC scored one more in the bottom of the eighth.
The Bulldogs were down to their last out in the bottom of the ninth when Peyton Starr stepped to the plate and launched a three run home run to level the score.
Evangel used three singles to grab a 6-5 lead in the 11th, but RBI singles by Kevinn Castillo and Dawson Walters helped give them the win.
Castillo went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Bulldogs with an RBI, while Starr led the way with three RBIs.
Evan Morrison threw five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. Ethan Alexander pitched the final two innings, allowing one run with four strikeouts to pick up the win.
GAME TWO – MC 8, EU 3
The Bulldogs carried that momentum into the nightcap, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning. An RBI single by Walters, brought Jace Essig home for the first run of the game, then a double by JT Edmunds made it a 3-0 Bulldog lead. Luke Nordean wrapped up the big inning with a three-run blast, his first homer in a Bulldog uniform.
Edmunds pushed the Bulldog lead to 7-0 with a solo shot in the third inning, then a three-run sixth inning by the Valor cut into that lead.
Dylan Hampton iced the game in the bottom of the sixth with his first home of the season.
Walters finished 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, while Edmunds drove in three runs.
Jameson Caro got the call on the mound for the Bulldogs and shined, throwing six innings with seven strikeouts. Caro kept the Valor hitless through the first three innings.
Noah Thomas came on for the seventh inning, striking out two batters.
GAME THREE – EU 19, MC 2
It was all Valor in game three, scoring five runs in the first and eight more in the second to grab a 13-0 lead early. Evangel added one in the third before Starr put the Bulldogs on the board with his second home run of the weekend in the bottom of the fourth.
Noah Carpenter came on in relief and struck out seven batters in 3.1 innings. Carpenter allowed just four hits and two runs.
The Bulldogs travel down the road to take on Tabor College this weekend with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 24). First pitch is slated for noon.
