HOBBS, N.M. – The MACU baseball season opened the 2023 season on a strong note as
Zane Robeaux allowed just one run in a 2-1 complete game before the Evangels rallied from a three-run first inning deficit for a 4-3 victory in game two against the University of the Southwest at Jake "The Jake" Williams Field on Saturday.
GAME ONE
SCORE
- Mid-America Christian 2, Southwest (N.M.) 1
- Mid-America Christian (1-0)
- Southwest (0-1)
PITCHING DECISION
TOP PERFORMERS
- Zane Robeaux – W, CG, 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 SO
- Jacob Police – 1-1, RBI, R, BB, SB
- Carlos Medina – 0-1, RBI
SCORING SUMMARY
- TOP 1st – MACU – Noel McGarry-Doyle grounded out to 2b, RBI; Jacob Police scored – MACU 1, USW 0
- BTM 4th – USW – Andru Sanchez doubled to left, RBI; Gavin VanGronigen scored – MACU 1, USW 1
- TOP 5th – MACU – Carlos Medina hit a SAC fly to cf, RBI; Makael Shaw scored – MACU 2, USW 1
GAME NOTES
- Mid-America Christian scored its two runs on two hits and committed a pair of errors while Southwest scored its lone run on four hits and tallied three miscues.
- While the MACU bats were held to just a pair of base knocks, the Evangels utilized small-ball to score its two runs. Jacob Police scored the first run of the season after reaching on a one-out single up the middle, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball before coming across on Noel McGarry-Doyle's groundout to second.
- The Evangels pushed across the game-winning run in the fifth when Andrew Enwiya led off the fifth inning with a single to short before pinch-runner Makael Shaw advanced from first to third when the shortstop misplayed a groundball hit by German Sepulveda to put runners at the corners. In the ensuing at-bat, nine-hole hitter Carlos Medina drove a fly ball to center, scoring Shaw on the sacrifice fly.
- In the low-scoring affair, MACU ace Zane Robeaux went the distance as the junior righty allowed only one earned run on four hits and walked just one batter while striking out five.
- The victory for the Evangels marked the program's first ever win against the University of the Southwest as MACU went 0-6 in their previous meetings.
GAME TWO
SCORE
- Mid-America Christian 4, Southwest 3
- Mid-America Christian (2-0)
- Southwest (0-2)
PITCHING DECISION
TOP PERFORMERS
SCORING SUMMARY
- BTM 1st – USW – Carlos Jaquez reached on a fielder's choice to 3b, RBI; Kevin Rase scored – USW 1, MACU 0
- BTM 1st – USW – Hayden Woods scored on a balk, unearned – USW 2, MACU 0
- BTM 1st – USW – Andru Sanchez doubled down rf line, RBI; Carlos Jaquez scored, unearned – USW 3, MACU 0
- TOP 4th – MACU – Andrew Enwiya singled up the middle, 2 RBI; Cole Fuecker scored; Conner McKinney scored – USW 3, MACU 2
- TOP 7th – MACU – Jacob Police grounded out to 3b, RBI; Maycin Smothermon scored – MACU 3, USW 3
- TOP 7th – MACU – Tylor Richey scored on a wild pitch – MACU 4, USW 3
GAME NOTES
- Mid-America Christian scratched across its four runs on six hits and made one error while USW scored its three runs on three hits with no errors.
- After getting off to a rocky start by allowing three runs in the first inning, Ryan Harney settled in over the next five innings in his first start with the Evangels. Harney gave up just one hit over the next five frames to earn his first decision of the season.
- The Evangels were held to just one hit through the first three innings before breaking through against USW starter Cody Stone in the fourth. Conner McKinney was hit by a pitch to start the frame before Cole Fuecker drove a double to center to put a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. Two batters later, Andrew Enwiya came up with MACU's RBI hit of the season as he drove in McKinney and Fuecker with a two-RBI base knock up the middle to cut the deficit to 4-3.
- With the Evangels still trailing by one going into the seventh, Devon Villanueva came up clutch for MACU by driving a single through the right side and just barely beating the throw from right to the bag. Pinch-runner Maycin Smothermon managed to reach on a wild pitch and a passed ball on Tylor Richey's drawn walk before Jacob Police drove in the tying run with an RBI groundout to third as Richey took advantage of the defense being out of position at the end of the play to steal third. During Makael Shaw's at-bat, Richey came across with the winning run on Isaac Baeza's wild pitch.
- MACU closer Kelton Lachelt delivered in the bottom of the seventh as the junior righty induced a groundout, a flyout and a popout for a 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory. The save marked the Henderson, Nevada native's fifth career shutout in his second season with MACU.
UP NEXT
- Mid-America Christian will close out the four-game series with a Sunday doubleheader. First pitch of game three is slated for 1 p.m. (12 p.m. MST).
