McPherson, Kan – Coming off of a close series loss to Friends University the previous weekend, the Bulldogs hosted the University of Saint Mary Spires for a three-game series over the weekend. The Spires rode into town on a three-game losing streak and looked to turn their season around at Bulldog Park.
The Basics
Location: TC Construction Field at Bulldog Park
Records: MC 11-12 (9-5 KCAC), USM 5-19 (2-13 KCAC)
Game One: MC 11, USM 6
The Spires opened up the scoring in Game One with the first three runs following Ian Maldonado's two-run inside-the-park home run and Tannen Buss' first pitch RBI single in the top of the second inning. In the bottom half of the inning, McPherson drove home four runs to take the lead back at 4-3.
Troy Stukenberg's RBI single sent home
Marcus Patton;
Myles Vazquez got caught trying to push from first to third, but Stukenberg stayed aboard. After
Steele Jackson's walk, Connor Baker's extra-base hit down the left field line allowed Stukenberg to score. McPherson knotted the game at 3-3 after
Jaylon Woodley punched one out to center field. Their go-ahead run came off the bat of
Austin Easter as he flew out deep enough to left field to score
Jaiden Diasio for the 4-3 lead.
Stukenberg, who had an incredible weekend, kept the run alive in the third with a two-run home run for the 6-3 lead. The Spires were able to tie it up in the fifth inning with three runs of their own, but it'd be the last time the Spires crossed the plate in Game One.
McPherson scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to retake the lead at 11-6.
Will Sevier would throw for the Bulldogs in the ninth inning; he would face five batters and allow just one hit, striking out two batters in rout to McPherson's 11-6 victory.
Game Two: MC 19, USM 15
34 combined runs were scored in this shootout of a ballgame that featured seven different pitchers for McPherson.
Hunter Boneau earned the win for the Bulldogs after throwing for over two innings and issuing four strikeouts.
Nick Thompson was awarded a save after coming into the game for the final two outs; the final outs were recorded on an electrifying double play.
It's hard to pick out a true frontrunner for the Bulldogs' offensive production because there were seven batters with at least two RBIs.
Steele Jackson,
Jared Kramp, and Stukenberg all had three RBIs for McPherson accompanied by
Myles Vazquez,
Adan Soto, Patton, and Baker had two each in the ballgame.
Although McPherson sparked the game with a five spot in the bottom of the first inning, they would score six runs in the bottom of the sixth. While down 13-12, Kramp's three-run home run sparked the run, and by the end of the inning the Bulldogs were ahead 18-13. They'd hold off the Spires and take the series with a Game Two 19-15 win.
Game Three: MC 7, USM 6
Despite the series already being decided for the Bulldogs, this competitive Game Three would head to extra innings after neither side could find the go-ahead run after seven innings. With McPherson down 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh,
Myles Vazquez punched one out to center field moving Stukenberg over to third; with the throw making its way past the third baseman, Stukenberg darted home and kept the game alive for McPherson.
In the bottom of the eighth, it was
Isaiah Berard that won it for the Bulldogs. On a 3-2 pitch, Berard launched a no-doubter over the fence to walk it off for McPherson and lift the Bulldogs ahead of the Spires 7-6.
