BETHANY, Okla. – The No. 18 MACU Baseball team overcame an early 4-0 deficit by chipping away over the course of the nine-inning game, outscoring Southwestern Christian 9-5 over the final eight innings including two go-ahead runs in the final frame.
 
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 9, Southwestern Christian 7
  • Mid-America Christian (26-9, 13-3 SAC)
  • Southwestern Christian (23-11, 9-7 SAC)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Bradley Waite (2-0)
• Loss: Kyle Duffey (0-1)
• Save: Andrws Acosta (5)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Cristopher Munoz – 3-4, R, RBI
• Jacob Police – 3-4, 2 RBI
• D'Andre Gaines – 2-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, SB
• Bradley Waite – W, 2 IP, BB, HBP, SO
• Giordany Mendoza – 2-6, R, RBI

 
SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 1^st – SCU – Dario Paredes singled up the middle, RBI; Gregory Berroa scored – SCU 1, MACU 0
• BTM 1^st – SCU – Draike Sparks doubled down the rf line, 2 RBI; Joseph Boone scored; Dario Paredes scored – SCU 3, MACU 0
• BTM 1^st – SCU – Jake Cox doubled down the lf line, RBI; Draike Sparks scored – SCU 4, MACU 0
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – D'Andre Gaines doubled to center field, RBI; Cristopher Munoz scored; Giordany Mendoza scored – SCU 4, MACU 2
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Carlos Medina flied out to lf, sacrifice fly, RBI; D'Andre Gaines scored – SCU 4, MACU 3
• BTM 3^rd – SCU – Dario Paredes scored on a wild pitch – SCU 5, MACU 3
• TOP 4^th – MACU – Giordany Mendoza singled to center field, out at second cf to 2b, RBI; Jonluke Hobdy scored – SCU 5, MACU 4
• TOP 5^th – MACU – Jacob Police flied out to rf, sacrifice fly, RBI; D'Andre Gaines scored – SCU 5, MACU 5
• BTM 5^th – SCU – Dario Paredes singled through the left side, RBI; Jhors Gomez scored – SCU 6, MACU 5
• BTM 5^th – SCU – Joseph Boone doubled down the lf line, RBI; Alex Newell scored – SCU 7, MACU 5
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Cristopher Munoz flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI; Jonluke Hobdy scored – SCU 7, MACU 6
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Jacob Police singled to center field, RBI; D'Andre Gaines scored – SCU 7, MACU 7
• TOP 9^th – MACU – Jesse Ortega reached first on an error by 1b, RBI; Taiga Sakuma scored; Dyson Kinnaman scored – MACU 9, SCU 7

GAME SUMMARY

• Mid-America Christian put its first three on with a walk to Jonluke Hobdy, a base hit to short by Giordany Mendoza and an infield single by Cristopher Munoz, but Southwestern Christian starter Mozart Duarte retired the next three to keep the Evangels scoreless.
• The Eagles struck first on the scoreboard on a two-out RBI single to right by Dario Parades, SCU plated three more with two outs on a pair of doubles by Draike Sparks and Jake Cox, extending the early lead to 4-0.
• Brock Cordes settled in in the second, working a 1-2-3 frame behind some help from left fielder Payton Matthews, who flashed the leather on a diving grab to take away a potential extra-base hit from Matys Gagnon.
• In the third Mendoza reached via an error and advanced to second on a single to left by Munoz. D'Andre Gaines then contributed with a double to center plating both runners and advanced to third on a wild throw home, allowing Carlos Medina to sac fly him home, cutting the SCU lead to 4-3.
• With two outs in the third the Eagles tacked on another on wild pitch that scored Parades.
• Gaines started off the fourth with a free pass, Medina followed up with a single to shallow left, Gaines then swiped third making it first and third with nobody out, setting up a Police sac fly to right, tying it up at 5-5.
• The Eagles connected for three hits including two doubles allowing them to put two on the board and retake the lead up 7-5 after five complete.
• The lead for SCU was immediately given up as the next frame consisted of two MACU runs. Jonluke Hobdy began the inning with a single up the middle and got to second via a wild pitch and took another free base on a passed ball. Munoz then connected for the third sac fly of the contest, cutting the lead to 7-6. With two outs and nobody on, Gaines, Medina and Police banged three straight singles to tie it up at 7-7.
• Luke Bourland departed in relief with first and second one-out, turning the ball over to Carlos Escobosa. After a walk to load the bases he bared down and got the heart of the lineup in Jhors Gomez and Dario Parades to fly out, keeping it a 7-7 game.
• Bradley Waite entered out the bullpen in the seventh and worked around a walk and hit-by-pitch, getting a 5-3 groundout double play to escape the jam.
• Waite tossed a huge 1-2-3 eighth, keeping the momentum on MACU's side. Police started the ninth with a single to left, Brett Justice then worked a walk, the runners were shifted into scoring position on a sac bunt by Matthews. Jesse Ortega was then inserted as a pinch-hitter and capped a 3-2 pitch to first, first basemen Joseph Boone fired home but the throw was errant and kicked to the backstop, allowing two runs to score and put MACU ahead 9-7.
• Andrws Acosta checked in and worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save, wrapping it up with a 9-7 final.

GAME NOTES

• Mid-America Christian put up 15 hits while walking five times, stranded nine on base with no errors in comparison to 11 hits on four walks, seven left on base and three errors committed by Southwestern Christian.
• After trailing 4-0 going into the third, MACU started chipping away, scoring in four consecutive innings while putting up seven runs in the process, however the Eagles stayed productive in the box, scoring three to make it a 7-7 game entering the late innings.
• D'Andre Gaines was one of the main facilitators on offense for the Evangels, he went 2-for-4 with a walk and RBI, with a game-high three runs. It was Gaines' sixth game this year in which he has scored three runs, and the thirteenth game in his MACU career in which he has scored three or more runs. Gaines leads the SAC in runs with 49 and is third across all of the NAIA, only four behind Cole Robinson of Missouri Baptist for the lead.
• Infielders Cristopher Munoz and Jacob Police both finished with three hits apiece, Police drove in a pair and Munoz added a run. It was the fifth time Munoz has recorded at least three hits in a game this season, which leads the Evangels.
• Jonluke Hobdy reached base three times, he went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs and a walk.
• Carlos Medina and Giordany Mendoza both drove in a run and stung together two hits.
• Jesse Ortega executed the go-ahead run in his lone plate appearance, he has now batted in seven in just 12 at bats this season.
• Bradley Waite earned his second win of the season, he tossed two scoreless innings without giving up a hit, allowing just two runners on a walk and hit-by-pitch.
• Andrws Acosta converted his fifth save of the year, tying Texas Wesleyan's Jorge Carvajal for the SAC lead.

UP NEXT

• MACU gets right back after it tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader in hopes of winning a series against the Eagles with first pitches slated for 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.