McPHERSON, Kan. – The Mid-America Christian baseball team had to battle the elements in the opening game of its final Sooner Athletic Conference regular season series at Central Christian, but sophomore shortstop Austin Wood swung an electric bat by driving in seven RBIs to lead the Evangels to an 18-5 win over the Tigers on Friday.

The day was slated to be a doubleheader, but the second game of the slate was suspended in the third inning due to the storms and will be resumed on Saturday.
 
Mid-America Christian vs. Central Christian
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 18, Central Christian 5
  • Mid-America Christian (27-17, 11-11 SAC)
  • Central Christian (9-35, 3-19 SAC)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Zane Robeaux (6-3)
• Loss: Kyler Hancock (0-2)

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 1^st – MACU – German Sepulveda singled to left, RBI; Isaiah Leon scored – MACU 1, CCCK 0
• TOP 1^st – MACU – Austin Wood singled to left, 2 RBI; Ryan Reed scored; German Sepulveda scored – MACU 3, CCCK 0
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Ryan Reed scored on passed ball – MACU 4, CCCK 0
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Austin Wood singled to second, RBI; Yan Ely Adames scored – MACU 5, CCCK 0
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Payton Walk homered to left, 2 RBI; Austin Wood scored – MACU 7, CCCK 0
• BTM 3^rd – CCCK – Joseph Esparza homered to left, RBI – MACU 7, CCCK 1
• TOP 5^th – MACU – Payton Walk doubled to center, RBI; German Sepulveda scored – MACU 8, CCCK 1
• TOP 5^th – MACU – Andres Gonzalez singled to left, 2 RBI; Devon Villanueva scored; Payton Walk scored – MACU 10, CCCK 1
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Isaiah Leon homered to left, RBI – MACU 11, CCCK 1
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Austin Wood homered to left, 4 RBI; Julian Martinez scored; Christian Guevara scored; Devon Villanueva scored – MACU 15, CCCK 1
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Julian Martinez walked, RBI; Payton Walk scored – MACU 16, CCCK 1
• TOP 6^th – MACU – German Sepulveda walked, RBI; Caden Harris scored – MACU 17, CCCK 1
• TOP 7^th – MACU – Caden Harris hit a SAC fly to center, RBI; Cameron Matherly scored – MACU 18, CCCK 1
• BTM 7^th – CCCK – Oscar Esparza homered to center, RBI – MACU 18, CCCK 2
• BTM 7^th – CCCK – Jason Peek doubled to center, RBI; Jayden Leonhardt scored – MACU 18, CCCK 3
• BTM 7^th – CCCK – Koki Matsuda doubled to center, Jason Peek scored – MACU 18, CCCK 4
• BTM 7^th – CCCK – Mason Seay singled thru the left side, RBI; Koki Matsuda scored – MACU 18, CCCK 5

TOP PERFORMERS

• Austin Wood – 3-5, HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, SB
• Payton Walk – 2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, HBP
• Zane Robeaux – W, 6 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 SO

GAME NOTES

• Mid-America Christian scored its 18 runs on 16 hits and committed one error while Central Christian scored its five runs on six hits.
• Sophomore shortstop Austin Wood had a career-day from the plate as he went 3-for-5 and his sixth-inning grand slam helped him finish with seven RBIs, tying the second-most in a single game by a MACU baseball player in the NAIA Era (2008-present) with teammate Yan Ely Adames and Scott Mulhearn. Wood also scored a pair of runs and stole a base.
• Junior centerfielder Payton Walk also put together a big day from the dish, going 2-for-3 with a double and a homer to finish with three RBIs and three runs scored.
• Junior starter Zane Robeaux picked up his first official win on the mound since defeating Science & Arts back on Mar. 31 after tossing six-innings and allowing just one run on two hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts.
• With his sixth win, Robeaux joined Thomas Peabody (2010) and Madison Spencer (2016) for the third-most wins by a pitcher in a season during the NAIA Era, sitting only behind Keisy Portorreal (2018) and current MACU teammate Kelton Lachelt (2022).
• MACU's 13-run margin of victory matched its largest of the season after defeating Oklahoma Panhandle State 13-0 in Chickasha, Okla. on Mar. 4 as well as a 16-3 win over Dallas Christian on Apr. 19. It also matched the Evangels' biggest margin of victory against their Sooner Athletic Conference rival after MACU topped the Tigers 13-0 at the MACU Baseball Field on Apr. 9, 2016.
• The game was supposed to be the first of a doubleheader, but game two was suspended in the bottom of the third due to weather. The first game also experienced roughly a one-hour lightning delay as well. The Evangels trailed Central Christian 5-3 heading to the bottom of the third at the time the game was called.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will resume game two of the doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. before closing out the series with a nine-inning game starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the resumed doubleheader game.