OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian University Baseball Evangels dropped a hard-fought 12-9 battle to the St. Gregory's University Cavaliers in the second game of a doubleheader today (Apr. 28) at James Curtis Field. The win gave the Cavaliers a sweep of the twinbill after they won the opener 7-1.
The Cavaliers answered a furious Evangel rally in the second tilt with three runs in the bottom of the sixth that snapped a 9-9 tie.
A single by Brady Kokojan provided the go-ahead run and then a successful squeeze bunt by pinch-hitter Layton Moore led to two more runs in the inning.
The Cavaliers momentarily blew the game open with a nine-run first inning after the Evangels had taken an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Martinez in the top of the frame.
An RBI double by Ryan Moseley in the second allowed the Evangels to chip away before exploding for seven runs in the fourth to pull even.
Martinez had a bases-clearing double in the big inning and the Evangels also got RBI triples from Aaron Conway and Kevin Lentzner.
Moseley went three-of-four in the nightcap and Lentzner had two hits.
Seth Keith pitched four effective innings in relief before running into trouble in the sixth. Keith finished with three runs allowed and five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Chevin Noone then came on and got the final two outs of the sixth.
Jordan Martin went three-for-three with two RBIs from the leadoff spot for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers grabbed the lead in the opening game on a two-run homer by Armando Fajardo in the first inning.
After an RBI single from Aaron Davis in the bottom of the inning brought the Evangels within a run, the Cavaliers gained separation with three runs in the third and then two more when Brandon Marerro hit a two-run homer in the fifth.
Davis finished two-for-three at the plate in the first game for the Evangels (20-31, 10-13 SAC).
Madison Spencer went five innings on the mound for the Evangels, allowing five earned runs and striking out four. Ben Donnell then pitched a pair of scoreless frames and struck out three.
The Cavaliers (30-20, 13-10 SAC) got seven strong innings from starter Matt Oxner, who struck out eight and gave up one run in the win.
The Evangels and Cavaliers will next finish the three-game series in Shawnee, Okla., date and time is still to be determined due to the expected rainfall this weekend.
