McPherson, Kan. -- The Mid-America Christian University Evangels plated a run in the eighth inning to take the first game of a doubleheader with the McPherson Bulldogs 6-5 Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22) in McPherson, Kan.  The Evangels then dropped the second game 11-2 to settle for the split.

With the opener tied 5-5 heading into extra innings, Taylor Daniels doubled to lead off the eighth and then scored the winning run on a successful squeeze attempt by Daniel Thompson. 

Starter Robert Santana then worked around two walks to close out the win in the bottom of the inning.

Santana lasted the full eight innings, striking out eight with nine walks and three earned runs allowed.

The Evangels trailed 1-0 when Daniels singled home a run in the third and the Evangels also took advantage of two errors in the inning to take a 2-1 lead. 

RBI singles by Victor Cuevas and Z Tipton along with a run-scoring double by A.J. Wilson then contributed to a three-run fourth inning that balooned the lead lead to four runs.

The Bulldogs managed to pull even with runs in the fourth and fifth innings and then benefited from an error in the sixth to score two runs.  An RBI single by Dorian Shelton tied the score at 5-5 after six.

Wilson went 3-of-4 at the plate for the Evangels, while Daniels and Kevin Gay collected two hits in the opener.

It didn't take long for the Bulldogs to get going in the nightcap as Seth Davenport hit a three-run homer to key a six-run first inning. 

The Bulldogs then added a run in the third and four more in the fourth to put it away.

An RBI groundout by Daniels that scored Wilson along with an error accounted for the Evangels' two tallies in the top of the fourth.

Josh Grant was solid on the hill for the Bulldogs in the nightcap, pitching five innings and allowing only one earned run.