OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU baseball team heads to Sterlington Louisiana for the fifth annual Cajun Collision with a four-game set scheduled with the first game taking place Friday at 2:30 p.m. against No. 4 LSU-Shreveport, the Evangels will wrap up the day with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch against Dakota State. On Saturday MACU will have another doubleheader with a first pitch slated for 11:00 a.m. against Georgetown and a 2:30 p.m. start against Park.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 5-4
• Last Game: Won vs. Randall – 19-9 – Feb. 4, 2025 – Oklahoma City
• Stat Leaders (Hitting):
  • Jonluke Hobdy – JR – OF
    • .429 BA (12-28), 6 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 10 R, 5 BB, .514 OB%, .714 SLG%, 1 SB
  • Payton Matthews – SR – OF
    • .364 BA (12-33), 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 9 R, 4 BB, .436 OB%, .848 SLG%
  • Brett Justice – JR – 1B
    • .393 BA (11-28), 4 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 7 R, 5 BB, .485 OB%, .750 SLG%
• Stat Leaders (Pitching):
  • Angel Miranda – JR – RHP
    • 6.17 ERA, 1-1 W-L, 2 APP, 2 GS, 11.2 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 15 SO, .283 OBA
  • Gabriel Dixon – JR – LHP
    • 6.23 ERA, 1-0 W-L, 2 APP, 2 GS, 8.2 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 17 H, 4 BB, 7 SO
  • Brock Cordes – SR – RHP
    • 4.15 ERA, 2 APP, 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off a slugfest in a 19-9 win over Randall in the home-opener behind 17 runs driven in by the offense including 13 coming from Payton Matthews and Jonluke Hobdy.
  • It was a bullpen game for MACU, they used seven different arms with Andrew Long leading the way. Long got the starting nod and went three scoreless innings allowing just one base runner while fanning seven of the 10 batters faced.
  • Hobdy and Matthews both connected for three extra base hits with Matthews leaving the yard twice and Hobdy coming up with three two-baggers. Matthews' seven RBIs fell one short of tying Yan Adames' record of eight in a game.
  • Noel McGarry-Doyle had himself a very productive game without recording a hit, he finished 0-for-1 with three walks and two hit-by-pitches letting him score a season high of four runs in a game for the Evangels.

SCOUTING REPORT
No. 4 LSU-Shreveport

• Record: 7-0
• Last Game: Won vs. No. 17 IU Southeast (Ind.) – 7-6 – Feb. 2, 2025 – Shreveport, La.
• Series vs MACU (2024-): Tied 1-1
• Last Game vs MACU: LSUS won 5-4 – Jan. 28, 2024 – Shreveport, La.
• Players to Watch (Hitting):
  • Ryan Davenport – SR – UTL
    • .556 BA (10-18), 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, .714 OB%, .778 SLG%, 7 SB
  • Josh Gibson – SR – INF
    • .400 BA (10-25), 2 2B, 1 3B, 8 RBI, 13 R, 9 BB, .579 OB%, .560 SLG%, 7 SB
  • Jose Sallorin – SR – INF
    • .429 BA (6-14), 1 2B, 8 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, .500 OB%, .714 SLG%
• Players to Watch (Pitching):
  • Isaac Rohde – SR – LHP
    • 5.59 ERA, 1-0 W-L, 2 APP, 2 GS, 9.2 IP, 6 R, 6 ER, 10 H, 3 BB, 19 SO
  • Cobe Reeves – SR – LHP
    • 4.00 ERA, 1-0 W-L, 2 APP, 2 GS, 9.0 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 10 H, 1 BB, 11 SO
  • Draven Zeigler – JR – RHP
    • 3.60 ERA, 2-0 W-L, 2 APP, 2 GS, 9.0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 9 SO
• Team Notes:
  • LSUS has been off to a great start remaining undefeated through seven games so far. The Pilots are coming off a two-game sweep to No. 17 IU Southeast in which they won 12-5 and 7-6. Iu Southeast led game one 5-1 through the first five and a half complete, but LSUS was able to put up 11 unanswered runs including six in the bottom of the seventh to come away with a 12-5 win. Entering the ninth with a 5-3 lead in game two, IU Southeast pushed three across to take a 6-5 lead, however Ryan Davenport came through with a walk-off single with the bases loaded and one-away to secure the 7-6 victory.
  • LSUS has been able to manufacture a lot of runs this season, as a team they are hitting .315 and have outscored opponents 79-24. Davenport has led the offense with a .556 average on 10-for-18 with an on-base percentage of .714. The Pilots staff has been just as strong, combining for a 3.26 ERA picking up 58 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched.
  • This will be the third meeting between MACU and LSUS with a 1-1 record amongst the two teams.

SCOUTING REPORT
Dakota State (S.D.)

• 2024 Record: 36-16 (17-6 NSAA)
• Last Game: Lost vs. Waldorf – 5-3 – May 5, 2024 – Dickinson, N.D. (NSAA Baseball Postseason Tournament – Elimination Game)
• Series vs MACU: First meeting
• Players to Watch (Hitting):
  • Cory Brownson – SR – OF
    • 2024 Stats: .419 BA (53-150), 11 2B, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 40 R, 24 BB, .453 OB%, .587 SLG%
  • Aidan Perry – JR – INF
    • 2024 Stats: .347 BA (58-167), 13 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 43 RBI, 48 R, 20 BB, .420 OB%, .563 SLG%
  • Dawson Porter – SR – 3B
    • 2024 Stats: .320 BA (48-150), 9 2B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 47 R, 8 BB, 15 SB, .421 OB%, .440 SLG%
• Players to Watch (Pitching):
  • Sam Tyrpa – SR – RHP
    • 2024 Stats: 8-3 W-L, 3.57 ERA, 13 G, 13 GS, 5 CG, 80.2 IP, 65 H, 27 BB, 99 SO, .217 OBA
  • Hunter Vikemyr – SR – RHP  
    • 2024 Stats: 7-5 W-L, 2.79 ERA, 13 G, 13 GS, 71.0 IP, 62 H, 29 BB, 71 SO
  • Nicholai Arbach – SR – RHP  
    • 2024 Stats: 3-2 W-L, 4.38 ERA, 12 G, 11 GS, 51.1 IP, 45 H, 24 BB, 62 SO
• Team Notes:
  • The Trojans will be opening up the 2025 season at the Cajun, they are coming off a strong season posting a 36-16 record with a 17-6 record in the North Star Athletic Association for a second-place finish. Dakota State saw the season come to an end in conference tournament play with a 5-3 loss to Waldorf.
  • Dakota State retains three starting pitchers in Sam Tyrpa, Hunter Vikemyr and Nicholai Arbach. The trio all logged over 11 games started with 50-plus innings. The bunch is led by Sam Tyrpa, Tyrpa threw five complete games last season for the Trojans in part of his 8-3 record on the bump. Offensively the Trojans return three of their top bats in Cory Brownson, Aidan Perry and Dawson Porter. All three slashed over .300 and will be anticipated to be a big part of the Trojans lineup for the 2025 campaign.
  • This will be the first ever meeting amongst the teams.

SCOUTING REPORT
Georgetown (Ky.)

• Record: 1-3
• Last Game: Won at Milligan (Tn.) – 9-7 – Feb. 2, 2025 – Milligan, Tn.
• Series vs MACU (2024-): MACU 1-0
• Last Game vs MACU: MACU won 2-1 – Feb. 9, 2024 – Sterlington, La.
• Players to Watch (Hitting):
  • Jose Cazorla – SR – OF
    • .500 BA (8-16), 3 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R, .500 OB%, .688 SLG%
  • Jarrett Chapman– SR – INF
    • .357 BA (5-14), 1 2B, 3 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, .412 OB%, .429 SLG%
  • Keano Saurez – C
    • .267 BA (4-15), 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, .353 OB%, .867 SLG%
• Players to Watch (Pitching):
  • Chad Baker – SR – SP
    • 6.75 ERA, 0-0 W-L, 1 APP, 1 GS, 4.0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 SO
  • Anthony Barrera – SR – SP
    • 3.00 ERA, 0-0 W-L, 1 APP, 1 GS, 3.0 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 SO
  • Nathan Beaven – SO – RP
    • 3.60 ERA, 1-0 W-L, 1 APP, 1.2 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 SO
• Team Notes:
  • Georgetown is coming off its first series of the 2025 season where they dropped three out of four to Milligan. After losing the first three games, the Bulldogs bounced back with a 9-7 victory behind an eight-run fourth inning that featured eight hits to provide GC its first win of the year.
  • It has been a hot-start to the year for senior outfielder Jose Cazorla, he is hitting .500 on 8-for-16 with three doubles and five runs driven in. Backstop Keano Suarez has been an extra base hit machine through four games this season he has a double, triple and a pair of homers with seven RBIs.
  • This will be the second all-time matchup amongst the teams with the other occurrence taking place last season in the Cajun Collision with MACU winning the low-scoring affaire 2-1 behind Carlos Escobosa's eight strikeout performance in just three innings of work on Feb. 9, 2024.

SCOUTING REPORT
Park

• 2024 Record: 36-19 (HAAC 21-11)
• Last Game: Lost vs. Saint Francis (Indiana) – 9-7 – May 14, 2024 – Williamsburg, Ky.
• Series vs MACU: First meeting
• Players to Watch (Hitting):
  • Gilberto Torres – SR – OF
    • 2024 Stats: .409 BA (72-176), 16 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 54 RBI, 44 R, 27 BB, .481 OB%, .585 SLG%, 9 SB
  • Yadiel Santana – SR – OF
    • 2024 Stats: .367 BA (47-128), 4 2B, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 26 R, 6 BB, .413 OB%, .598 SLG%
  • Alex Rodriguez – SR – INF
    • 2024 Stats: .333 BA (67-201), 6 2B, 1 3B, 27 RBI, 45 R, 21 BB, .398 OB%
• Players to Watch (Pitching):
  • Raul Garcia – SR – LHP
    • 2024 Stats: 5.40 ERA, 5-3 W-L, 14 APP, 12 GS, 1 CG, 65.0 IP, 47 R, 39 ER, 91 H, 12 BB, 66 SO, .325 OBA
  • Guillermo Gelpi – SR – RHP
    • 2024 Stats: 5.98 ERA, 6-3 W-L, 13 APP, 12 GS,1 CG, 58.2 IP, 42 R, 39 ER, 54 H, 35 BB, 56 SO
  • Bryan Aguirre – SR – RHP
    • 2024 Stats: 5.92 ERA, 4-3 W-L, 13 APP, 10 GS, 51.2 IP, 38 R, 34 ER, 64 H, 14 BB, 30 SO
• Team Notes:
  • The Pirates are coming off a 36-19 2024 season with a 21-11 record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, Park's season was good enough for a bid for the NAIA opening round, but the Pirates lost two of the three games played seeing their season come to an end in a 9-7 loss to Saint Francis.
  • Park brings back a lot of their offense for the 2025 season, one big loss for the club is starting pitcher Adam Stilts, Stilts no longer a member of the team led the pitching staff in 2024 with a 10-2 record behind five complete games. The Pirates brought back a few starting pitchers with experience in Raul Garicia, Guillermo Gelpi and Bryan Aguirre. The trio all toppled 10 games started and 50 innings on the mound for Park. Offensively they did lose their homerun leader in the 2024 season with Victor Sanchez-Ramos graduating. Despite losing Sanchez-Ramos, the Pirates retained some of their top bats in Gilberto Torres, Yadiel Santana, Alex Rodriguez and more.
  • This will be the first ever game played between Mid-America Christian and Park.