McPherson, Kan – The Bulldogs hosted the Ottawa Braves over the weekend for a three-game series in the closing stages of the regular season. With a massive Senior Day crowd sitting behind the plate for the entirety of the weekend, McPherson did not disappoint in this entertaining battle.
The Basics
Location: TC Construction Field at Bulldog Park
Records: MC 21-19 (18-11 KCAC), 31-12 (18-11 KCAC)
Game One: MC 9, OU 8
Daniel Norris got the nod to begin the series on the mound for the Bulldogs. Norris would throw five innings and allow four runs off of three hits, issuing seven strikeouts on 20 batters faced.
Jared Kramp got his Senior Day started immediately with a leadoff homerun on the second pitch to give McPherson the early 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs scored once more in the inning on a passed ball for the 2-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs made it six unanswered runs in the third inning after holding the Braves to minimal efficiency at the plate. With bases loaded,
Marcus Patton scored on an error in the infield to make it 3-0.
Ky'rell Taylor's triple to right center was the highlight of the game up this point as he drove in three runs for McPherson to build a mountainous 6-0 lead…
Or so it felt.
The Braves put together seven runs from the fourth to the sixth inning on three home runs and a sacrifice fly to take a 7-6 lead heading into the seventh inning.
In the eighth inning, it was
Myles Vazquez that electrified Bulldog Park with a home run to drive in two runs and take the lead back at 8-7.
Down to their final three outs, Owen Powers came in clutch for the Braves with a solo home run to tie the game at 8-8. Seeing this,
Conner Baker had decided enough was enough. On an 0-1 pitch, Baker walked off with a bomb over the left field fence to give McPherson the final laugh of Game One with a 9-8 victory.
Game Two: MC 3, OU 5
Game Two featured a different story; it was Ottawa's Adrian Quintana that highlighted the matchup after throwing a complete game allowing three runs off of seven hits, issuing six strikeouts and just two walks.
The Braves put up a four-spot in the second inning to give themselves a large lead over the Bulldogs who had trouble finding their rhythm on offense. They wouldn't find their first run of the ballgame until the third inning when
Jaylon Woodley, following time away due to a concussion, drove in Ky'Rell Taylor on an RBI single to cut the lead to three.
In the fourth inning,
Austin Easter would go yard and score a pair runs for the Bulldogs to bring the hosts to within one of the Braves, but these were the last runs scored all day for McPherson. Ottawa scored one more run in the top of the seventh to give them a little more cushion heading into the final inning of the day. Down to their last three outs, the Bulldogs were unable to extend Game Two, falling 5-3 to even the series at 1-1 heading into the Sunday matchup.
Game Three: MC 14, OU 7
Déjà vu.
Jared Kramp, on the second pitch of Game Three, gave McPherson a 1-0 lead on a home run. Through the first two innings, the Braves and Bulldogs went run for run until
Troy Stukenberg's RBI triple sparked a four-run third inning to give McPherson the upper hand throughout the rest of the day.
With the game sitting at 8-2 in the fifth inning, Ottawa scored the next three runs off of home runs to cut the lead down to 8-5. Taylor, who had a great weekend, continued his success with an RBI double in the seventh to spark another big run for the Bulldogs. The hosts would put up five runs in the seventh to hold a 13-5 lead heading into the eighth inning.
Following two more home runs for the Braves, McPherson managed to shut down the visitors when it mattered most in the top of the ninth with the Bulldogs up 14-7. After two groundouts,
Matthew Bomersback sealed the deal striking out Garrett Dodd to secure the series with a 14-7 Game Three victory.
