GOODWELL, Okla. – The Mid-America Christian University baseball team headed west on Friday afternoon to open their 2018 Sooner Athletic Conference schedule with a double-header at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. The Evangels romped to a game one win, but a trio of unearned runs early in game two made the Evangels settle for a split.
Kevin Lentzner drove in five runs in game one of the twin bill as MACU (9-5, 1-1 SAC) beat the Aggies (5-8, 1-1 SAC) 11-2, but in game two OPSU scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning and they made it hold up, hanging on for a 3-2 win to earn the split.
MACU wasted no time in getting on the board in game one. Logan Gipson walked, Junior Aracena was hit by a pitch, and Luis Sanchez singled to load the bases for Felix Martinez. Martinez singled home Gipson, and Lentzner followed with a sacrifice fly to put MACU on top 2-0 early. Aracena added an RBI single in the top of the second, driving in Raymond Rodriguez to stretch the Evangels lead to 3-0 before OPSU got on the board.
Nate Kelly picked up an RBI single in the bottom of the third to cut the MACU lead to 3-1, but MACU added two in the fifth on an RBI-double from Axel Poesmans and a run scoring base knock from Rodriguez, but the real damage came in the top of the sixth. The Evangels scored five times in the top of the fifth frame, with the inning highlighted by a bases clearing triple from Lentzner to break the game open and stretch MACU's lead to 10-2. Lentzner added another RBI base hit in the seventh to provide the final margin of 11-2.
Keisy Portorreal (3-1) allowed two runs, one of them earned, on three hits and one walk in six innings of work, and he struck out four Aggies to earn the victory. Gustavo Escobar allowed a hit in the seventh, but nothing more in his first appearance of the season. Adrian Lopez (2-2) took the loss for the Aggies, as he gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four and a third innings.
Lentzner was 3-for-4 in the game with the triple, two runs scored, and five RBIs. Aracena, Sanchez, Martinez, and Rodriguez each singled twice; Sanchez scored three times and Gipson and Aracena each scored twice; and Martinez had a pair of RBIs as well.
Jake White took the ball for MACU in game two, but he was immediately put behind the eight ball in the game. A 3-base error to lead off the game led to three unearned tallies in the bottom of the first, and MACU struggled to convert chances in game two.
The Evangels threatened in the top of the second, but after back-to-back singles to lead off the frame, the threat fizzled with the final out happening on a pick-off at third base.
In the top of the third, MACU loaded the bases with one out, but they only scored one run. Martinez reached on an error to plate Antonio Dorado, but Rodriguez bounced into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
Abdiel Quinones singled home Rodriguez in the sixth, and he moved up to third on a stolen base and a single from Dorado, but he was stranded there and the Evangels remained behind 3-2. The Evangels did not threaten in the seventh, and OPSU salvaged a split on the day with a 3-2 win in game two.
Corey Ley (2-1) earned the win, allowing two runs – one earned – on seven hits and four walks in six innings, but he did not strikeout a batter. Jake White (2-1) did not allow an earned run, and he scattered four hits in six innings, but he was saddled with the loss. Cesar Gomez (2) earned the save by working a clean seventh inning.
Seven different Evangels had a hit in the game, but in a rarity, neither team had an extra base hit in the contest. Dorado and Rodriguez scored runs, and Martinez and Quinones had RBIs for MACU.
The two teams will wrap up their weekend series on Saturday with a single game at Noon.
