OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian University baseball team had plenty of opportunities to win game one of their double-header on Tuesday afternoon, and though they were unable to take the first game, the Evangels did win the second tilt, thanks to a great pitching performance.
MACU (18-10) belted three homers in game one of the twin bill with Southwestern College (Kan.) (10-12), but the Moundbuilders took the first contest 13-6. Jake White shined on the mound for the Evangels in game two though, as MACU salvaged a split of the double-header with a 4-3 win.
Southwestern struck first with a run in the top of the first inning, but in the bottom of the second, MACU's offense roared to life. Luis Sanchez lofted his fourth homer of the season to right field to lead off the inning, and later in the frame a second blast came from an unlikely source. After a walk to Junior Aracena and a single from Kevin Lentzner, Axel Poesmans stepped to the plate and lined his first home run of the season to left field, and suddenly the Evangels were up 4-1.
The lead was short-lived, though, as Southwestern tallied three runs in the top of the third frame, and they added single runs in the fourth and the fifth frames to take a 6-4 lead.
Poesmans led off the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single, and Diego Pichardo entered to courtesy run, making his first appearance for the Evangels since February 16, and Felix Martinez belted his third home run in his last four games to tie the game at 6-6.
From there, though, the Builders took control, scoring seven runs in the final two innings to take the win, 13-6.
Taylor Woods (3-0) threw five and a third innings and earned the win despite allowing six earned runs on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Seth Keith (2-4) took the loss in relief for MACU, allowing four earned runs on five hits in an inning and a third. Keith walked one and struck out one.
Poesmans had the only multi-hit game for MACU, posting a 2-for-3 effort with a run and three RBIs. The three homers for MACU were the only extra-base hits for the Evangels in the game.
In game two, Jake White took the baseball, and after he faced the minimum in the first frame, MACU got him an early lead. Logan Gipson singled with two outs and stole second base before Luis Sanchez singled him home to put the Evangels on top 1-0. In the third, MACU added two more runs on an RBI-double from Martinez and a run-scoring single from Gipson to push MACU's lead to 3-0. After Martinez doubled again in the bottom of the fifth, Gipson ripped his team-leading 13th double of the season to score Martinez and extend the MACU advantage to 4-0.
A sacrifice fly in the sixth cut MACU lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth, and in the seventh Gustavo Escober entered for the save opportunity. Escobar allowed only one hit, in the inning, but Escobar kept the tying run from ever reaching base, and the Evangels held on for the 4-3 win.
White (3-1) earned the win, throwing six innings and allowing one earned run on only three hits, but he did walk five and strikeout five. Tanner Olmstead (1-2) took the loss, as he yielded four earned runs on six hits with one strikeout in four and two-thirds innings.
Gipson was 3-for-3 in the game with a run and two RBIs, Martinez doubled twice in three trips with two runs and an RBI, and Antonio Dorado scored the Evangels other run.
MACU will be back in action this weekend for a non-conference weekend set against the Crusaders of Dallas Christian College (1-14). Friday will see the teams play a single game at 3 p.m., and the teams will play a double header on Saturday at Noon.
