HILLSBORO, Kan. - On Tuesday afternoon, the Mid-America Christian University baseball team headed north for a rare mid-week non-conference twin bill. The Evangels played the Tabor College Blue Jays, and thanks to a big game from MACU's offense in game two, the Evangels earned a split of the day.
MACU (10-17) dropped game one to Tabor (26-9) as the Blue Jays rallied late to break the game open, but in game two MACU got a big performance from Raymond Rodriguez who was responsible for generating five of MACU's seven runs in a 7-1 win.
Luis Sanchez got the Evangels on the board first in game one with an RBI single in the top of the first, but the Blue Jays bounced back to take a 2-1 lead headed into the fourth. Edgar Martinez gave MACU the lead back on a two-RBI double with two out in the top of the fourth, and as the game reached the half-way point, MACU led 3-2.
The Blue Jays, though dominated the second half of the game. Tabor tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, and they added three run in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Tabor plated five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to cap off the 11-3 win.
Dallas Forno (2-0) earned the win for Tabor. He threw five innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Arcangel Soto (1-4) took the loss, throwing five innings and yielding eight runs on nine hite, three walks, and five strikeouts.
Martinez and Diego Pichardo each doubled for MACU in the game, Martinez had two RBIs and a run scored, and Raymond Rodriguez and Leo Bejaran each scored a run.
Tabor struck first in the second game against MACU starting pitcher Pedro Reyes, but the sophomore right-hander limited the early damage to a single run, and in the third, MACU surged in front. Rodriguez launched his second home run of the season to right field with two outs - a three-run shot that put MACU up 3-1. Sanchez singled home a pair in the fourth frame, and RBI base knocks from Rodriguez and Oliver Fernandez capped the scoring as MACU took the back half of the day's activity 7-1.
Reyes (2-2) earned the win, throwing four innings and allowing just one unearned run on two hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Jarod Cooper (0-1) was tagged for five runs on five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts.
Rodriguez was 2-for-2 with the homer, a single, and a pair of walks with two runs scored and a stolen base. Sanchez and Fernandez each singled twice, and Junior Aracena walked three times.
MACU will be back in Sooner Athletic Conference play this weekend when they host the NAIA #17 Texas Wesleyan University Rams (31-8, 11-4 SAC). The series days and times are still to be determined.
