OKLAHOMA CITY – Windy conditions made Tuesday a difficult day for baseball for the Mid-America Christian University baseball team, as they hosted Roosevelt University in a double-header on one of the windiest days so far in 2018. The Evangels struggled early in the afternoon, but as the day wore on, the MACU offense lurched to life, and MACU salvaged a split of the day's games.
Kevin Lentzner picked up the last of MACU's 13 hits in game two of the twin bill as the Evangels (15-8) bounced back from a 6-1 loss in game one to Roosevelt University (3-7) to take game two 8-7 and earn a split of the day.
The day got off to an inauspicious start for the Evangels. The Lakers homered twice in the first 10 batters to chase MACU starting pitcher Josh Stevenson from the game, as Roosevelt built an early 6-0 lead. Reid Wall entered the game for MACU, and he pitched well in relief, but the Evangels were unable to get the offense going. MACU threatened in the third inning, but the Evangels left the bases loaded, and they did not threaten again until the sixth inning.
MACU got the 6th inning started with back-to-back-to-back singles from Junior Aracena, Luis Sanchez, and Felix Martinez as MACU plated a run to trim the deficit to 6-1. The Lakers made a pitching change, however, and the rally stalled without further damage, and heading to the seventh, Roosevelt led 6-1. The Evangels were unable to mount a rally in the seventh, and Roosevelt took game one 6-1.
Nick Simak (1-1) earned the win, allowing one earned run on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in five innings of work. Stevenson (2-2) was tagged for six runs, five earned, on five hits and two walks in one inning with one strikeout. Wall was excellent in relief for MACU, as he allowed only one hit and no walks in six innings, and he recorded 11 strikeouts.
Martinez had three singles in the game, and he had MACU's only RBI. Aracena scored the Evangels' only run.
Roosevelt struck first in game two, plating an unearned run in the top of the first on consecutive two-out singles with an error on a pick-off throw to first sandwiched in between. MACU finally got the offense rolling in the bottom of the second inning, though, as the Evangels rallied to take their first lead of the day. Felix Martinez hit a high pop-fly on the infield, but in the windy conditions it fell for a double and MACU took advantage. Trey Jackson earned an RBI on a fielder's choice, and Lentzner added an RBI-single later in the inning. Logan Gipson followed with an RBI-double of his own, which capped the 3-run rally for MACU.
In the bottom of the third inning, Martinez reached on a leadoff walk, and after a fly out from Raymond Rodriguez, Omar Frias stepped to the dish and launched his first home run as an Evangel, pushing MACU's lead to 5-1. Single runs in the fourth and fifth frames for Roosevelt cut the MACU lead to 5-3, but Rodriguez led off the bottom of the fifth with a long solo homer, and Lentzner and Aracena each doubled in the sixth, leading to an insurance run, and heading to the seventh, MACU led 7-3.
The Lakers, however, scrapped their way to four runs in the top of the seventh inning, as they rallied to tie the game. Matt Marrera doubled with one out in the inning, and after a wild pitch and a walk, the Lakers executed a hit-and-run to plate the first run. A strikeout of Tyler Ward put MACU within one out of securing the win, but a hit batsman and a two-run single pulled Roosevelt within one at 7-6. The Evangels went to the bullpen for Jairo Aparicio, but that did not stop the rally, as a bloop single to left tied the game before Aparicio struck out Jake Hutchinson to end the threat and send the game to the bottom of the seventh tied at 7-7.
Rodriguez led off the bottom of the seventh with a single down the left field line, and after a pop out, Davis singled to put runners at first and second. Jackson reached on an error to load the bases with one away, and Lentzner lined the second pitch of his at bat through the left side for the walk-off single to give MACU the 8-7 win. The win is the second walk-off victory of the season.
Aparicio (3-0) recorded one out in the game to earn the victory on the mound, and Rem Stewart (0-1) allowed two earned runs on four hits in two innings of work with two strikeouts and he was saddled with the loss.
Gipson had a huge afternoon at the plate, with a 3-for-4 performance with a triple, two doubles, and one RBI. Lentzner doubled and singled twice in five trips with two RBIs, and Rodriguez homered in a three-hit game with three runs scored.
MACU will be back in action at home on Friday afternoon to open a weekend series against Central Christian College (2-20, 1-7 SAC). The teams will play a double-header on Friday starting at 12 p.m., and a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
