BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Playing in their second tournament of the spring season, the Mid-America Christian University men's golf team headed northeast to take on Hillcrest Country Club at the 2019 Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagle Spring Classic. The field featured 13 NAIA schools, and the Evangels are in the hunt after the opening 18 holes of play.

MACU shot a team round of 315, just 11 shots off the pace set by Northwestern College (Iowa) (304). Kansas Wesleyan University and Central Baptist College tied for second at 307, and Columbia College (Mo.) tied the host Eagles for fourth at 311.

The highlight of the round came from Kaden Upton. The freshman played the first eight holes in four over par, and on the par-five ninth, he cozied his approach shot up to within eight feet and sank the putt for an eagle that completed his outward nine in 38. Each of MACU's five golfers recorded at least one birdie as well. Gage Gibson birdied the last to post a score of 78, Upton birdied the 13th on his way to an 80, and Austin Davis sank his birdie putt on the second hole and shot an 81.

Isaac Maston played the front side in even par, and he birdied the 14th and 17th holes on his way to a 76 that has him tied for eighth individually at the tournament's halfway point, and Wyatt Bonds posted birdies on hole numbers nine and 11 before he finished with an 81.

Maston is in the top-10 after one round, and two stroked in back of him is Gibson, who is tied for 23rd at the halfway point. Upton is in a tie for 35th headed into the final round, and Davis and Bonds round out the Evangels in the field tied for 39th.

The tournament is slated to wrap up with a final round of 18 holes on Tuesday. The shotgun start, weather permitting, is slated for 9 a.m.