PINEVILLE, La. – The MACU baseball team split its season opener in a pair of 5-1 ballgames to Louisiana Christian at Billy Allgood Field Friday evening. Although the Evangels did not string much together offensively in game one, they were able to string together five runs on a great debut by Angel Miranda, who went six innings surrendering just one unearned run on 11 strikeouts and just three hits allowed.
 
GAME ONE
SCORE

• Louisiana Christian 5, Mid-America Christian 1
  • Louisiana Christian (1-0)
  • Mid-America Chrisitan (0-1)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Andrew Yuratich (1-0)
• Loss: Andrew Long (0-1)

TOP PERFORMERS

• D'Andre Gaines – 1-4, HR, RBI, R
• Jonluke Hobdy – 2-2 2B, HBP
• Andrew Long – 4 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 2 SO
• Noel McGarry-Doyle – 1-2, BB, SB

SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 1^st – LC – Braden Trull reached first on an error by ss, Tyler McKenna scored, unearned. – LC 1, MACU 0
• BTM 2^ND – LC – Adrian Aguilar reached first on an error by P, SAC RBI; Harrison Waxley scored– LC 2, MACU 0
• BTM 2^ND – LC – Braden McLin hit a sac fly to cf, RBI; Chris Kelly scored – LC 3, MACU 0
• BTM 2^ND – LC – Hunter Gotreaux singled to left-center, RBI; Adrian Aguilar scored, unearned – LC 4, MACU 0
• TOP 5^th – MACU – D'Andre Gaines homered to left-center, RBI – LC 4, MACU 1
• BTM 6^TH – LC – Nick Lorio singled to second, RBI; Braxton Cooksey scored, unearned – LC 5, MACU 1

GAME NOTES

• Louisiana Christian out-hit Mid-America Christian 9-6 resulting in five runs compared to the lone run on D'Andre Gaines solo blast to lead off the top of the fifth.
• The Wildcats opened up with the first run of the game on an overthrow by Evangels shortstop Carlos Medina with two outs in the bottom of the first, allowing Tyler McKenna to score after he drilled a two-out double.
• Mid-America Christian had an opportunity to answer back in the top of the second following back-to-back singles by Jacob Police and Jonluke Hobdy, however Wildcat starter Andrew Yuratick escaped the jam after getting Carlos Medina and Zachary Stark to fly out.
• In the bottom of the third, LCU added on three more, extending the lead to 4-0. Harrison Waxley led off the inning with a double to center, Chris Kelley followed up with a single through the left-side making it first and third nobody out for the Wildcats. Evangels starter Andrew Long then was unable to corral a sacrifice bunt attempt letting Waxley score on Adrain Aguilar's SAC. Louisiana Christian tacked on two more on a sac fly by Braden McLin and a two-out RBI single by Hunter Gotreaux.
• The Wildcats called to the bullpen in the top of the fifth, and reliever Colton Williams immediately let the Evangels get on the board surrendering a leadoff big fly to D'Andre Gaines for MACU's first run of the season.
• Mid-America Christian threatened to score in the top of the sixth, Hobdy extended the inning with a two-out double to right-center, up next was Carlos Medina who legged out a groundball to short after a bobble by Aguilar, however Hobdy was gunned down at the plate by first basemen Braden Trull to keep it a 4-1 ballgame.
• In the bottom of the sixth, Louisiana Christian added on insurance run on Nick Lorio's third base-hit of the contest.
• It was a strong debut for outfielder Jonluke Hodby as he reached base in all three at bats as the transfer out of Cero Coso CC (Calif.) went 2-2 with a double and a hit by pitch.
• D'Andre Gaines homer was the only run MACU was able to put across, the junior outfielder finished 1-4 in the game.
• Brett Justice singled for his first hit as an Evangel, him and Noel McGarry-Doyle joined Hobdy in being the only Evangels to reach base multiple times. McGarry-Doyle slashed a 1-2 stat-line with a walk and a stolen bag.
• Jordan Smith made his first appearance of the season in relief and kept the Evangels in it, Smith allowed an unearned run in two innings pitched nonetheless the offense went down in order in the top of the seventh to give Louisiana Christian the win.

GAME TWO
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 5, Louisiana Christian 1
  • Mid-America Christian (1-1)
  • Louisiana Christian (1-1)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Angel Miranda (1-0)
• Loss: Cy Fontenot (0-1)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Angel Miranda – 6 IP, W, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 11 SO
• Payton Matthews – 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R, SB
• D'Andre Gaines – 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB
• Giordany Mendoza – 2-3, R
• Carlos Medina – 2-3, R

SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 2^ND – LC – Jake Massina reached first on an error by 2B, Harrison Waxley scored, unearned – LC 1, MACU 0
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – D'Andre Gaines doubled to left-center, RBI; Carlos Medina scored, unearned – MACU 1, LC 1
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Payton Matthews singled up the middle, RBI; D'Andre Gaines scored, unearned – MACU 2, LC 1
• TOP 4^TH – MACU – Conner Thompson stuck out swinging, reach first on error by 1b, Giovany Mendoza scored, unearned – MACU 3, LC 1
• TOP 7^TH – MACU – Payton Matthews homered, 2 RBI; D'Andre Gaines scored – MACU 5, LC 1

GAME NOTES

• Mid-America Christian reciprocated the score of game one with a 5-1 victory on a tremendous debut by starting pitcher Angel Miranda. The Evangels out-hit the Wildcats 8-4 behind three extra base-hits compared to Louisiana Christian's none.
• Similar to game one, the Wildcats were able to get on the board first, scoring on a rare sequence of back-to-back throwing errors by the Evangels. Miranda was able to strand a LC baserunner after retiring the next two following the throwing error by Munoz.
• It was a quick response for MACU as they plated two in the top of the third behind back-to-back two-out hits by Gaines and Matthews giving the Evangels the first lead of the day with a 2-1 advantage.
• Mid-America Christian added on another in the top of the fourth on an error by the Wildcats first basemen. Connor Thompson struck out, however it was not a clean catch by the backstop Jake Messina which forced a throw to first, to which Braxton Cooksey could not handle allowing Giovany Mendoza score.
• Miranda found his groove at the right time, striking out six of the next seven hitters (five swinging) to keep MACU up 3-1 after five complete.
• In the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats strung together a couple baserunners on back-to-back one-out singles by Tyler McKenna and Gavin Vordick. Miranda picked up his eleventh strikeout of the day catching Cooksey looking for the second out. With first and second two outs, an errant pick-off attempt by Miranda got past first basemen Julian Martinez, Martinez in his first ever appearance at first base in his fourth year as an Evangel swooped up the ball and gunned down Zac Bacilla at the plate to preserve a 3-1 MACU lead.
• In need of some insurance, MACU tacked on two-more in the seventh on a blast to left-center field by Matthews, scoring Gaines and moving the Evangels lead to 5-1.
• The Evangels chose to insert Andrws Acosta for the seventh, Acosta allowed the first two to get on base via a single and hit-by-pitch but settled down retiring the next three included a pair of strikeouts to seal the deal for the Evangels for the first win of the 2025 campaign.
• It was an overall brilliant first outing for Angel Miranda, he struck out 11 Wildcats in six innings of work all while allowing just three hits, with no walks and a hit batter.
• Despite having a tough debut in game one, Matthews turned in a solid 2-4 with a homer, three RBI's and a stolen base.
• The left-side of the infield in Giordany Mendoza and Carlos Medina both posted multi-hit games with both players going 2-3 with a run scored.
• Overall, after splitting the double-header today the Evangels move to 2-1 against the Wildcats dating back to 2023.  

UP NEXT

• The Evangels will remain in Louisiana for a quick turnaround with another double-header slated for a first pitch of 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Generals Baseball Field taking on another Red River opponent in LSU-Alexandria.