Oklahoma City, Oklahoma- The Mid-America Christian University baseball team finished the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep to get the series win over Sooner Athletic Conference opponent Oklahoma Christian University. MACU won the opener 9-5 before forcing the night cap into extra innings, winning 5-4 in nine innings.
After losing the series opener 15-3 at OC on Thursday, the Evangels rallied to win the series using solid defense.
MACU dented the scoreboard first in the opener, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Sam Lewis led off the inning with a double and senior Pete Feurtado followed, bunting for a base hit to put runners on first and third. A wild pitch plated the Evangels first run of the day. Frederick singled to put Feurtado on third. A sacrifice fly by Dan Heskin sent Feurtado home.
The Eagles cut MACU's lead in half in the top of the second. OC used one hit, an error and a pass ball to score their run. MACU got the run back in the bottom of the frame with the help of two OC errors and one hit.
OC took the lead in the third posting three runs (4-3). Along with three hits in the inning, MACU help the Eagles out with error and a wild pitch.
MACU regained the lead in the fourth with three runs (6-4). Brian Carter led off the inning with a single and Scott Mulhearn followed with a homer over the left field fence. With two outs, Feurtado singled and stole second base. The catcher overthrew the shortstop and the ball sailed into centerfield and Feurtado went racing to third. In an attempted to throw Feurtado out at third the centerfielder fired the ball into the Evangel dugout allowing Feurtado to reach home.
Solid defense got MACU pitcher Thomas Peabody out of a jam in the top of the fifth. All three outs came down to a play at the plate. The Eagles opened the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third. Catcher Adrian Bravo-Carmona tried to throw out the runner at first triggering the runner at third to race home. First baseman Dan Heskin threw the ball back to Carmona who applied the tag for out number one. With bases loaded Jeff Davis singled to deep right field plating one run. Tyler Gipson tried for home plate on the hit but right fielder Brian Carter fired the ball home and Carmona tagged him out. Carmona then threw the ball to shortstop James Frederick to try to tag out Davis who advanced on the throw. Justin Ebert who was on third made a run for home on the throw to short but Fredierck threw the ball right back to Carmona who tagged Ebert out for the third out.
MACU sealed the game in the sixth adding three runs. With two outs Lewis singled to keep the Evangels alive in the frame. Justin Rivera followed, reaching base after being hit by a pitch. Frederick then hit a three-run bomb over the center field fence.
Pitching in his final game at Evangel field, senior Thomas Peabody earned the win for MACU. The right-handed pitcher tossed six innings giving up five runs, one earned on eight hits with three strikeouts. Ivan Juvera closed out the seventh with one strikeout, allowing no hits.
The night cap was a nail bitter needing extra innings to decide the winner. Both teams left 10 men stranded in the game.
With two outs, OC loaded the bases in the first frame. The Eagles plated their first run of the game off a pass ball.
The Eagles didn't hold the lead for long. The Evangles plated two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. With runners on first and third, Frederick grounded into a double play allowing Lewis to score after leading off the inning with a walk. Carmona then doubled and scored on a single by Heskin.
OC used two hit to plate two runs in the third to lead 3-2. They extended their lead in the fifth with an RBI single by Gipson.
Pete Feurtado made it a 4-3 game in the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot over the left field fence.
MACU got the equalizer in the sixth to eventually force extra innings.
Big plays by the defense kept the Evangels alive throughout the game. With one out and bases loaded in the top of the eighth Dustin Andrews flew out to right where Carmona made the catch and fired the ball home to catcher Tim Mahler who tagged out the runner at the plate.
In the bottom of the ninth Lewis led off the inning with a triple. The Eagles intentionally walked the next two batters, bringing Carmona to the plate. A wild pitch brought Lewis across home plate for the win.
Senior Ryan Vollkommer got the win pitching the top of the ninth inning. He allowed no runs and one hit with one strikeout. David Wynn started the game pitching five innings. The southpaw allowed four runs, two earned on five hits. Kyle Francis pitched one scoreless inning and Ivan Juvera pitched two scoreless innings.
The Evangels end the regular season 21-27 overall with a 9-19 SAC record. OC finished 19-23 and 11-16 in conference
