OKLAHOMA CITY - As Senior Weekend got underway for the Mid-America Christian University baseball team, the Evangels stood on the cusp of qualifying for the postseason. MACU needed only one win to punch their ticket to the Sooner Athletic Conference postseason tournament. With that in mind, the Evangels turned over the baseball to senior southpaw Ben Donnell, and he did not disappoint.
Donnell twirled a gem, allowing only one run in eight and two-thirds innings of work, as MACU (15-21, 9-11 SAC) took a win in the weekend series opener over Central Christian College of Kansas, 3-1.
The Evangels took advantage of a pair of CCCK miscues early to crack the scoreboard first. Kevin Lentzner reached on an error with one away in the bottom of the second inning, and he moved up to second on a failed pickoff attempt and a second error. Luis Sanchez then advanced him to third with a groundout to second, and Oliver Fernandez followed with an RBI single down the left field line, and MACU took the 1-0 lead.
In the third, MACU added two more. Diego Pichardo was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, and Felix Martinez followed with a single to put runners at first and second with no one out. A wild pitch moved the two of them up to second and third, and Junior Aracena ripped a double to the left field corner to drive them both home and the Evangels saw their lead grow to 3-0.
That was more than enough for Donnell. The lefty was in control for most of the day, as he retired the first five men he faced, then later in the game he set down eight in a row in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. The Tigers did not get a runner to third base until a Tyler Brown double in the top of the eighth plated Shomari Cann from second to get CCCK on the board, but Donnell quickly regained control by inducing a fielder's choice ground ball and punching out Josh Clyden for his sixth strikeout of the game.
The Tigers got two men on in the ninth again, and with two outs, Adrian Savedra calledon his closer, Reid Bukowski to come in and nail down the save. The tying runs were in scoring position, and it took Bukowski only two pitches to get the final out, and MACU held on for the win, 3-1.
Donnell (4-5) earned the win in his final home start, going eight and two-thirds innings and allowing one earned run on 10 hits. Donnell struck out six and did not walk a batter. Jared Jones (1-8) took the loss for CCCK, throwing an eight inning complete game and giving up three runs on nine hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. Bukowski's save was his third of the season.
Aracena was 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, and two RBIs, and Raymond Rodriguez singled twice in four trips. Diego Pichardo singled, stole a base, and scored a run as well for MACU.
The teams will wrap up the weekend series on Saturday with a double-header scheduled for noon. The Evangels will celebrate Senior Day, with the ceremony taking place between the games.
