Lakewood, Colo. -- Just three outs away from an opening round victory in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Central Regional Tournament, the Mid-America Christian University Evangels couldn't close the deal and fell 9-6 to the top-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles Wednesday afternoon (May 9) at Coca-Cola All-Star Park in Lakewood, Colo.  The Evangels will try to stay alive tomorrow afternoon (May 10) at 2 p.m. (CST) against the loser of Central Baptist and Colorado Christian. 

The Evangels led 6-3 heading into the seventh inning, but a leadoff single by pinch hitter Giancarlo Sironi and an error put runners on second and third with no outs. 

Jose Ruiz then followed that with an RBI single that chased Cory Ford to second. 

Ruiz and Ford would then plate the tying runs on a combination of three wild pitches to send the game into extra innings.

The Evangels threatened in the top of the eighth by loading the bases with one out, but Justin Rivera fouled out into a double play to end the inning. 

After the Evangels appeared to be out of a jam when Trent Daniels threw out Nick Palese at third for the second out of the bottom of the eighth, four straight walks chased home the go-ahead run and then a two-run single by Shane Elliott gave the Eagles a pair of valuable insurance runs. 

Earlier, Elliott had put the Eagles on top early with a two-run shot to fuel a three-run first inning. 

Jon Jon Lemos answered in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer of his own that scored Luis Martinez to make it a one-run game. 

The Evangels then jumped on top with three runs in the second on RBI singles by Joe Moore, Martinez and Kory Palmer. 

The score remained 5-3 until Martinez nailed a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the sixth that gave MACU a three-run advantage. 

Martinez fueled the Evangels' offensive attack with a 3-of-4 effort at the plate and two RBI.  Shane Brinker also collected two hits on the day. 

Colby Crawford went seven innings for the Evangels, giving up six runs but only two earned and striking out five. 

Elliott drove in four runs to lead the Eagles, while Thomas Kellner pitched a scoreless eighth inning out of the bullpen to pick up the win.