SHAWNEE, Okla. – With the MACU Softball team facing a tall order in the final day of the NAIA SB Invitational at the FireLake Ball Fields on Saturday, the Evangels came to play in a big way as they upset No. 8 Central Methodist 8-7 and gave No. 21 Hope International a tough fight for most of the game before eventually falling 10-2.
 
GAME ONE / Mid-America Christian vs. Central Methodist
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 8, Central Methodist 7
  • Mid-America Christian (2-6)
  • Central Methodist (6-2)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Emmerson Dickinson (2-3)
• Loss: Kinlei Boley (1-1)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Heidi Noisey – 2-3, 2B, 3 RBI, R
• Kiley Flores – 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R
• Jorjanna King – 1-3, 2 R, RBI
• Emmerson Dickinson – W, CG, 7 IP, 7 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 3 SO

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 1^st – CMU – Maddie Holly doubled down lf line, RBI; Joely Crider scored – CMU 1, MACU 0
• TOP 1^st – CMU – Emma King singled thru right side, 2 RBI; Maddie Holly scored; Elizabeth Palumbo scored – CMU 3, MACU 0
• BTM 2^nd – MACU – Heidi Noisey doubled to right, 2 RBI; Dakota Watson scored; Jorjanna King scored – CMU 3, MACU 2
• TOP 4^th – CMU – Elizabeth Palumbo hit a sac fly to rf, RBI; Rachel Brandt scored – CMU 4, MACU 2
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Kiley Flores tripled to right-center, 2 RBI; Kayten Herman scored; Serena Rodriguez scored – MACU 4, CMU 4
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Jorjanna King singled to right-center, RBI; Kiley Flores scored – MACU 5, CMU 4
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Heidi Noisey singled to short, RBI; Jorjanna King scored – MACU 6, CMU 4
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Taylor Martinez singled to right-center, 2 RBI; Heidi Noisey scored; Mia Macias scored – MACU 8, CMU 4
• TOP 6^th – CMU – Maddie Holly tripled to right-center, 3 RBI; Elizabeth Palumbo scored; Joely Crider scored; Rachel Brandt scored – MACU 8, CMU 7

GAME SUMMARY

• Central Methodist took advantage of a pair of MACU errors in the top of the first as both of CMU's hits off the bats of Maddie Holly and Emma King resulted in three early Eagles runs to make it a 3-0 game.
• In the bottom of the second, the Evangels utilized an advantage of their own as Jorjanna King and Dakota Watson both reached via walk and were moved down to second on Mia Macias' unassisted groundout to first. With two outs, Heidi Noisey hammered a deep double to the right field wall, bringing in both runners to cut the deficit to 3-2.
• The Evangels had some chances to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the third when they led off the frame with a Serena Rodriguez drawing a walk and Kayten Herman slapping a single up the middle before stealing second to put a pair in scoring position with no outs. Unfortunately, two straight infield outs and a flyout to right kept MACU from pushing either runs across.
• The Eagles once again took advantage of a MACU miscue in the top of the fourth when Rachel Brandt reached on a one-out error and advanced to third on a single and a walk before Elizabeth Palumbo hit a sac fly to right-center field to set the edge to 4-2.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Mid-America Christian began making its improbable comeback with Serena Rodriguez getting plunked by a pitch and Kayten Herman drew a walk before Kiley Flores rifled a missile triple to the right-center field wall to plate both runners, making it a 4-4 contest.
• In the next at-bat, King dropped in a bloop single into right-center field to bring in Flores to secure the 5-4 MACU lead. Even though CMU retired the next two batters, the Evangels persisted as Macias reached on a single through the left side and took second in a heads up play with the throw going to third. It set up Heidi Noisey for the RBI infield single to short and after both runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, Taylor Martinez came up clutch for her first hit of the weekend, dropping a Texas Leaguer single into right-center to plate runners and make it an 8-4 Evangels' edge.
• Central Methodist immediately went to work in its half of the sixth as back-to-back singles by Brandt and Crider followed by a Palumbo walk two batters later loading the bases. It was then Holly who rifled a laser line drive that got all the way to the right-center field wall, clearing the bases for a 3-RBI triple to make it a one-score game at 8-7.
• With Emma King batting, it looked as though the Eagles were going to tie the game on her flyball to right with one out, but after Herman made the catch near the right field line, she made an incredible throw on the fly to home to get Holly trying to score for the inning-ending double play.
• Mid-America Christian found itself in trouble once again in the top of the seventh as the Eagles managed to load the bases on a pair of walks and hit-by-pitch with two outs, but MACU starting pitcher Emmerson Dickinson on her 150^th got Palumbo to popout to Marrtinez at short to seal the upset victory.

GAME NOTES

• Mid-America Christian scored its eight runs on eight hits and overcame four errors while Central Methodist played its seven runs on nine hits.
• Emmerson Dickinson battled through some tough spots to pick up her second consecutive victory in the circle, allowing nine hits and walked six batters, but only three of the seven runs she allowed were earned in the win.
• Heidi Noisey was MACU's most productive bat on the day s she was the only Evangel with multiple hits, slashing 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.
• Kiley Flores came up with a 2-RBI triple to finish 1-for-4 with a run scored.
• Jorjanna King crossed home plate twice for MACU after hitting 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI as well.
• Serena Rodriguez reached base safely three times on a walk and two hit-by-pitches to go along with a run scored.
• Taylor Martinez's first hit of the weekend was a big one for MACU as she finished 1-for-3 with her two RBIs being the difference maker in the result.
• History repeated itself for the Evangels after MACU dealt an upset blow to No. 7 Central Methodist, coming away with a 2-0 victory at the NAIA SB Invitational on Feb. 22, 2025. In that win, Emylee Campbell hit the go-ahead 2-run homer in the first before Chana Wolfe tossed the complete game shutout.

GAME TWO / Mid-America Christian vs. Hope International (Calif.)
SCORE

• Hope International 10, Mid-America Christian 2 (6 Inn)
  • Mid-America Christian (2-7)
  • Hope International (12-6)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Samantha Elizalde (2-0)
• Loss: Nyssa Dunn (0-3)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Mia Macias – 2-3, 2B
• Gia Reynosa – 1-3, 2B, RBI, R
• Heidi Noisey – 1-2, RBI
• Serena Rodriguez – 1-3, 2B

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 2^nd – MACU – Gia Reynosa reached on a fielder's choice to 2b, RBI; Jorjanna King scored – MACU 1, HIU 0
• BTM 4^th – HIU – Amanda Esquivel homered to left, 2 RBI; Gabriela Holmes scored – HIU 2, MACU 1
• BTM 4^th – HIU – Joselyn Aguilar doubled to left-center, RBI; Karlie Bilrey scored – HIU 3, MACU 1
• BTM 4^th – HIU – Lily Hernandez reached on a throwing error by ss; Joselyn Aguilar scored – HIU 4, MACU 1
• BTM 4^th – HIU – Emma McCraw singled to second; Lily Hernandez scored on a throwing error by 2b – HIU 5, MACU 1
• TOP 5^th – MACU – Heidi Noisey singled down lf line, RBI; Gia Reynosa scored – HIU 5, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – HIU – Lily Hernandez singled up the middle, RBI; Joselyn Aguilar scored – HIU 6, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – HIU – Emma McCraw doubled to right-center, RBI; Lily Hernandez scored – HIU 7, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – HIU – Chey Navarro doubled down rf line, RBI; Emma McCraw scored – HIU 8, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – HIU – Gabriela Holmes flied out to cf; Chey Navarro scored on a throwing error by cf – HIU 9, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – HIU – Breanna Lucero singled to pitcher, RBI; Amanda Esquivel scored – HIU 10, MACU 2

GAME SUMMARY

• Hope International plated its 10 runs on 16 hits while the Evangels scored their two runs on six hits and committed four errors.
• Mia Macias was the lone Evangel to notch multiple hits, batting 2-for-3 with a double.
• Gia Reynosa was productive in her at-bats, finishing 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.
• Heidi Noisey continued being productive from the plate as well, slashing 1-for-2 with an RBI single.
• Serena Rodriguez came up with one of MACU's three doubles to finish 1-for-3 from the dish.
• The contest marked the first ever meeting between the Evangels and the Royals.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will now make its preparations for the start of Sooner Athletic Conference play. The Evangels will be making the trek to Texas Wesleyan on Friday to start a four-game series with the opening doubleheader slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.