OKLAHOMA CITY – Coming off a phenomenal 2024 campaign that included both a regular season and SAC Tournament title, the MACU Baseball team will be seeking to defend the title plus more with the 2025 season beginning this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders in Louisiana. The Evangels will take on Louisiana Christian in Pineville, Louisiana Friday at 3 and 6 p.m. It will be a quick turnaround as on Saturday the Evangels will play at 12 and 3 p.m. at LSU-Alexandria for the first ever meeting against the Generals.
LAST SEASON AT A GLANCE
- 2023 Record: 41-13 (20-4 SAC)
- Last Game: Lost vs. Milligan (Tenn.) – 8-7 – May 15, 2024 – Hattiesburg, Miss. (NAIA Opening Round – Elimination Game)
- All-Americans
- All-Sooner Athletic Conference
- Recap
- Mid-America Christian turned in a stellar season that included the first ever SAC regular season and Tournament titles, unfortunately the Evangels saw their great season conclude in the Opening Round of the NAIA tournament on a walk-off homer in an elimination game falling to Milligan (Tenn.) 8-7.
- After posting a program high 39 wins in 2023, MACU toppled that number with overall wins (41) and conference wins (20.) Mid-America Christian also defended its home turf greatly winning 17 of 20 home games.
- Isaac Baez was a recipient of the NAIA All-America third team, as well as a program record nine All-SAC honors with six being accredited first team. Zachary Stark also picked up a gold glove to mark the second straight season an Evangel has received that honor. (Medina & Reed 2023.)
2025 SEASON PREVIEW
- Top Returners (Position)
- Noel McGarry-Doyle – SR – OF
- .388 BA (73-188), 13 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 68 RBI, 51 R, 25 BB, 7 HBP, 12 SB, .471 OB%, .644 SLG%, 1.115 OPS
- D'Andre Gaines – JR – OF
- .358 BA (67-187), 16 2B, 4 3B, 13 HR, 52 RBI, 69 R, 32 BB, 12 SB, .462 OB%, .695 SLG%, 1.157 OPS
- Jacob Police – R-SO – 2B
- .367 BA (54-147), 8 2B, 3 3B, 13 HR, 41 RBI, 50 R, 10 BB, 20 HBP, 15 SB, .462 OB%, .707 SLG%, 1.171 OPS
- Top Returners (Pitchers)
- Jordan Smith – SR – LHP
- 1-1 W-L, 4.76 ERA, 15 GP, 1 GS, 28.1 IP, 35 H, 8 BB, 11 SO
- Carlos Escobosa – SR – RHP
- 3-1 W-L, 5.04 ERA, 16 GP, 4 GS, 30.1 IP, 31 H, 21 BB, 41 SO .254 OBA
- Top Newcomers (Position)
- Jonluke Hodby – JR – OF – Cero Coso CC (Calif.)
- 2024 Stats: .356 BA (64-180), 14 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 36 RBI, 54 R, 16 BB, .429 OB%, .528 SLG%, .957 OPS
- Cristopher Munoz – SR – UTL – Southeastern (Fla.)
- 2024 Stats: .330 BA (64-194), 17 2B, 6 HR, 44 RBI, 51 R, 11 BB, 19 SB, .385 OB%, .521 SLG%, .906 OPS
- Payton Matthews – SR – OF – Texas-Permian Basin
- 2024 Stats: .251 BA (44-175), 9 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 33 R, 19 BB, 13 SB, .332 OB%
- Brett Justice – JR – 1B/3B – Arkansas-Rich Mountain
- 2024 Stats: .333 BA (47-141), 12 2B, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 35 R, 21 BB, .414 OB%, .475 SLG%
- Top Newcomers (Pitchers)
- Fabian Hernandez – JR – LHP – Western Oklahoma State
- 2024 Stats: 2-2 W-L, 5.17 ERA, 15 G, 69.2 IP, 19 BB, 63 SO
- Brock Cordes – SR – RHP – Eastern Oregon
- 2024 Stats: 1-8 W-L, 6.53 ERA, 13 G, 13 GS, 70.1 IP, 41 BB, 75 SO
- Andrws Acosta – JR – RP – Western Oklahoma State
- 2024 Stats: 1-0 W-L, 4.50 ERA, 14 G, 28 IP, 12 BB, 23 SO
- Angel Miranda – JR – RHP – Western Oklahoma State
- 2024 Stats: 3-1 W-L, 5.76 ERA, 20 G, 1 GS, 65.2 IP, 76 H, 22 BB, 70 SO
- Ryan Smith– JR – RHP – Lamar CC (Colo.)
- 2024 Stats: 3-3 W-L, 6.45 ERA, 13 G, 13 GS, 37.2 IP, 35 H, 35 BB, 52 SO
- Adam Long – JR – RP – Southeastern (Fla.)
- 2024 Stats: 0-0 W-L, 5.40 ERA, 7 G, 5 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 SO
- Gabriel Dixon– R-SR – LHP – Oklahoma Christian
- 2024 Stats: 0-0 W-L, 23.40 ERA, 6 G, 5 IP, 13 H, 8 BB, 7 SO
- Overview (Pitching)
- Last season was a tremendous season for the Evangels pitching core as they cracked the top ten amongst all NAIA teams with a 3.99 ERA (sixth) and WHIP (tenth). The Evangels however, lost most of the staff due to graduation including Isaac Baez, Zane Robeaux, Cameron Brown, Devan Quesada and Kelton Lachelt. It will be tough shoes to fill as Baez and Robeaux tied for a program high of 10 wins in a season.
- Despite losing a lot of arms, MACU returns seniors Jordan Smith and Carlos Escobosa. Smith and Escobosa both threw over 25 innings, with both players having valuable experience in the starting and closing roles. Escobosa made four starts in his 16 overall appearances, his best outing came on Feb. 9 against Georgetown where he fanned eight in just three innings of work while surrendering just a hit and a walk for no runs. Smith had a gutsy performance in the NAIA Opening Round, after throwing three innings in the night game that was postponed due to rain, Smith retook the mound the following morning. He finished the game with five innings with three hits and one run allowed in the 4-2 loss to Milligan on May 13.
- The Evangels will have to completely shake up their staff as they brought in a vast group of pitchers including three Western Oklahoma State products in Fabian Hernandez, Andrws Acosta, and Angel Miranda. All three came out of the bullpen for Western but despite that they all totaled at least 14 appearances with Hernandez and Miranda both climbing over 65 innings pitched.
- After losing Robeaux, Baez, and Quesada MACU will need to revamp the starting rotation and will look to do so with other newcomers like Brock Cordes and Ryan Smith. Cordes and Smith both achieved 13 or more starts in the 2024 campaign. Although both turned in an ERA in the mid 6's, they are strong in racking up strikeouts with Cordes picking up 75 strikeouts in 70.1 innings pitched. Smith diced up 52 batters in 37.2 innings pitched for an average of 12.42 k/9.
- Rounding out the new faces is Adam Long and Gaberial Dixon. Despite both throwing under 10 innings last season, the expectations are for the duo to play a larger part of this MACU team. Long is a transfer from a highly respected NAIA opponent in Southeastern and Dixon comes in from D2 Oklahoma Christian.
- Overview (Position)
- Offensively, Mid-America Chrisitan had great success finishing second in the SAC in average (.327,) runs batted in (392,) slugging percentage (.526), hits (552.) The majority of the lineup will return for the 2025 campaign with Noel McGarry-Doyle, D'Andre Gaines, and Jacob Police steering the boats.
- Entering his third and final season for the Evangels is McGarry-Doyle, the Canadian product has put up back-to-back All-SAC seasons. The 2024 season saw McGarry-Doyle set a MACU record for runs batted in at 68. McGarry-Doyle also fell just five hits of tying James Frederick's MACU record of 79 in a season. (2010.) Overall, McGarry-Doyle slashed .388 with 73 hits, nine homers, as well as stealing 12 bags.
- The Evangel's outfield saw another slugger accomplish some incredible feats including D'Andre Gaines setting a school record in runs (69,) and total bases (130.) Gaines was just one big fly away from tying the MACU record for homers in a season at 14. The All-SAC first team nominee finished with a .358 BA with 67 hits, 16 two baggers, 52 runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases.
- It was a breakout year for second basemen Jacob Police. Police after hitting just one big fly in 2023, slugged 12 bombs with 41 runs batted in. Police had two multi-homer performances with one of them being in the 15-8 win over USAO in the SAC Tournament on May 6 in which the Evangels set a program record 7 home runs in one game. Despite a massive boost in power, Police tunes in a rare stat of having more hit by pitches than strikeouts. Police tied a program record 20 HBP's all while striking out just 19 times.
- The Evangels will also see some key pieces return to the lineup in Zachary Stark, Carlos Medina, and Taiga Sakuma. Medina and Stark were recipients of All-SAC Second Teams. Medina led the offense with 54 games played, hitting .330 with 62 hits including six homers and 34 runs batted in. Sakuma boasted a .345 BA going 60-174 with a pair or triples and homers. Sakuma tied Yan Adames (2021) for the most amount of doubles in a game (3) in the 18-1 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State on Mar. 22, 2024. Zachary Stark returns for his second season at MACU, coming in as a defensive first type of backstop, Stark stepped up on the offensive end as he finished with a .328 average with 8 doubles, a homer, and 26 runs batted in. Stark became known for his knack to come through in the clutch, including a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning in a 4-3 win over USAO on Mar. 1, and another two-bagger that scored to two in the ninth to take an 8-7 lead in the eventual 9-7 win over Southwestern Christian on Apr. 25.
- With six of the nine starters returning it will be a battle for the newcomers to get into the starting nine, nonetheless some great talent was brought in including JonLuke Hobdy, Cristopher Munoz, Payton Matthews, and Brett Justice. MACU will turn to Munoz to take over the hot corner, Munoz put up a strong 2024 season as a member of the Southeastern Fire, where he hit .330 with 17 doubles, 6 bombs, and 44 runs batted in. Hodby laced a .356 average on 14 doubles with a blazing 7 triples and 34 runs batted in. Matthews and Justice will provide depth for the squad as the Evangels lost both their starting third basemen and left fielder due to transfers.
SCOUTING REPORT
Louisiana Christian
- 2024 Record: 34-21 (17-13 RRAC)
- Last Game: Lost vs. Georgia Gwinnett – 20-1 – May 15, 2024 – Lawrenceville, La. (NAIA Opening Round – Elimination Game)
- Series vs MACU: 1-0 MACU
- Last Game vs MACU: 7-5 MACU Feb. 10, 2023.
- Players to Watch (Hitting):
- Harrison Waxley – R-SO – INF
- 2024 Stats: .356 BA (68-191), 15 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 60 RBI, 44 R, 27 BB, .442 OB%
- Braden Trull – R-SO – C/INF
- 2024 Stats: .353 BA (54-153), 13 2B, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 44 R, 22 BB, .458 OB%, .556 SLG%
- Tyler McKenna– SR – C
- 2024 Stats: .413 BA (62-150), 17 2B, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 26 R, 24 BB, 13 SB, .514 OB%, .667 SLG%, 1.181 OPS
- Players to Watch (Pitching):
- Cy Fontenot– GS – RHP
- 2024 Stats: 5-2 W-L, 4.21 ERA, 14 G, 13 GS, 1 CG, 62 IP, 56 H, 12 BB, 62 SO, .235 OBA
- Andrew Yuratich – SR – RHP
- 2024 Stats: 7-3 W-L, 5.79 ERA, 20 G, 13 GS, 82.1 IP, 99 H, 26 BB, 76 SO, .301 OBA
- Team Notes:
- Louisiana Christian last season defined how getting how at the right time can change the course of the whole season. After finishing the regular season with a conference record of 17-13, the Wildcats managed to go 5-1 in the Red River Conference Tournament including two wins over a very tough opponent in LSU-Shreveport. The second win over LSU-Shreveport was a thriller, Harrison Waxley coming through with a walk-off RBI single in the 12th inning of the elimination game in the 7-6 victory. That win allowed LC to takedown Texas A&M-Texarkana twice in the championship to advance to the NAIA opening round where the Wildcats went 2-2 with both losses coming in a lopsided margin to Georgia Gwinnett.
- Last year, Louisiana Christian had a solid team batting average of .310. The Wildcats run a small-ball offense as they finished second in the NAIA in sacrifice bunts with 61. LC offered the fourth lowest ERA in the Red River, posting a staff ERA of 5.86.
- Offensively the Wildcats retained the majority of their starting lineup, aside from losing former Gold Glove infielder Nicholas Brunet, Harrison Waxley, Braden Trull, and Tyler McKenna will all be penciled back in the lineup after a 2024 season that the trio all slashed above .350 BA.
- Louisiana Christian also brings back its top two arms in Cy Fontenot and Andrew Yuratich. Both pitchers tallied over 60 innings pitched with Fontenot leading the staff with a 4.21 ERA.
- This will be the second ever game played amongst the teams with the other being a 7-5 MACU win in the Cajun Collision on Feb. 10, 2023.
SCOUTING REPORT
LSU-Alexandria
- 2024 Record: 22-23 (18-12 RRAC)
- Last Game: Lost vs. Houston-Victoria (Texas) – 9-6 – May 4, 2024 – Sterlington, La. (Red River Tournament – Elimination Game)
- Series vs MACU: First Meeting
- Last Game vs MACU: N/A
- Players to Watch (Hitting):
- Blaise Foote– SR – 1B/RHP
- 2024 Stats: .396 BA (59-149), 8 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 47 R, 37 BB, 9 SB, .536 OB%, .685 SLG%, 1.221 OPS
- Zach Mengarelli– SR – 3B
- 2024 Stats: .355 BA (59-166), 8 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 41 RBI, 49 R, 19 BB, 9 SB, .440 OB%, .578 SLG%, 1.018 OPS
- Peyton Marcantel– SR – C
- 2024 Stats: .292 BA (33-113), 10 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 23 R, 17 BB, .449 OB%, .496 SLG%, .946 OPS
- Players to Watch (Pitching):
- William Vice– SR – LHP
- 2024 Stats: 5-5 W-L, 4.84 ERA, 14 G, 14 GS, 70.2 IP, 72 H, 43 BB, 66 SO, .261 OBA
- Zack Benevage – JR – RHP
- 2023 Stats: 1-0 W-L, 3.86 ERA, 13 G, 21 IP, 22H, 15 BB, 16 SO, .213 OBA
- Team Notes:
- After posting a 34-18 (22-7 Conf.) record in 2023, the Generals regressed a bit in 2024 with a 22-23 record while still maintaining a respectable 18-12 record in Red River play that tabbed them fourth in the standings at the end of the regular season. LSU-Alexandria mustered just one win in the conference tournament and saw its season conclude after being defeated 9-6 by Houston-Victoria on May 4.
- Last year, the Wildcats as a team hit for a .304 average that ranked fourth in the Red River. LSU-Alexandria as a staff was fourth in the conference in ERA at a 5.86 clip.
- Offensively, the Wildcats did not lose much as they brought back their trio of Foote, Mengarelli and Marcantel.
- The Wildcats will be without Bradon Noel this season, Noel led the staff with a 4.07 ERA in 13 appearances, (nine starts). William Vice will seek to lead the staff as he returns following a 70.2 inning season with a 5-5 record and 4.84 ERA.
- Saturday's contests will mark the first ever meeting between LSU-Alexandria and Mid-America Christian.
