OKLAHOMA CITY – Jerry McNew hit three homers and drove in six runs to lead the Mid-America Christian University Evangels to a doubleheader sweep of the Southwestern Christian University Eagles today (Mar. 25) at James Curtis Field. MACU won 10-4 in the opening game and then held on for an 11-8 win in the second game.
The two victories give the Evangels the series win over SCU and moves them into sole possession of fifth place in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
The Evangels got a solid outing from Madison Spencer in the first tilt. Spencer went seven innings and gave up only three earned runs.
MACU fell behind 1-0 but grabbed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the second.
The Eagles tied the score twice with runs in the third and fourth frames, but were answered each time, first on a solo homer by McNew in the bottom of the third and then on Abdiel Quinones' first career home run in the fourth.
The Evangels then broke open a one-run game with a six-run sixth inning.
Colt Pickens singled home Quinones for the first run of the frame and then crossed the plate on a single by McNew.
McNew was then chased home on a double by Cameron Kirk before a two-run single from Pedro Varela finished the big inning.
McNew was three-of-four at the plate in the first game and Pickens went two-of-three. Kirk and Varela also had two hits for the Evangels, with Varela driving in three runs.
Michael Lowe was three-of-four at the plate for SCU.
In the nightcap, the Evangels appeared to be in control with an 11-1 lead heading to the sixth, but the Eagles managed to make things interesting late.
The Eagles put together six runs in the sixth, capped by a three-run homer by Cody Robinson that made it 11-7.
SCU then loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, but reliever Jake White came on and retired the next two hitters on a flyout to center and pop out to shortstop.
After a single by Robinson brought the Eagles to within three runs and the potential go-ahead run to the plate, White got Justin Braziel to fly out to left to finish the game and pick up the save.
McNew staked the Evangels to an early lead with a two-run homer in the first before unloading on his third homer of the day, another two-run blast in a five-run third inning.
Ryan Moseley was also key in building the early cushion by producing a two-run single in the second and then a two-run double in the third.
McNew and Moseley each drove in four runs in the second game for the Evangels (12-21, 5-7 SAC), while Trey Henley continued his hot hitting with a three-of-three effort at the plate. Henley hit .700 (7-of-10) in the three-game series against the Eagles.
Varela was two-of-four with one RBI for MACU.
Jake White held the Eagles hitless through the first three innings and lasted 5 2/3 innings, with seven runs allowed and three strikeouts to get the win.
Drew Umbro had three hits in four at-bats in the second game for the Eagles (21-14, 4-8 SAC).
The Evangels will next head to the Lone Star State this week, starting with a twinbill at Dallas Christian on Tuesday (Mar. 28) at 1 pm. MACU will then play at Arlington Baptist Wednesday (Mar. 29) at 1 pm.
