Mid-America Christian University

JOPLIN, Mo. – No. 18 MACU Baseball faced rival Oklahoma City in the Sooner Athletic Conference Semifinal as the Evangels came away with an 8-4 victory after scoring four unanswered runs at the Joe Becker Ballpark in Joplin, Missouri.  
 
GAME ONE
 
SCORE

• (2) Mid-America Christian 8, (3) Oklahoma City 4
  • No. 18 Mid-America Christian (36-12)
  • Oklahoma City (22-26)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Ibrahim Gonzalez (10-2)
• Loss: Brittain Bauer (4-4)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Ibrahim Gonzalez: W, CG, 9.0 IP, 128 P, 12 SO, 9 H, 4 ER, BB
• Nick Hill: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI
• Cole Krepcik: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI
• Jalen King: 2-4, 2 R, RBI
• Sammy Hallada: 1-2, 3B, 3 R, RBI

SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 1^st – MACU – Nick Hill sacrifice fly to LF, RBI; Sammy Hallada scored – MACU 1, OCU 0
• BTM 1^st – MACU – Cole Krepcik homered to RF, 2 RBI; Jalen King scored – MACU 3, OCU 0
• BTM 2^nd – MACU – Elijah Lee sacrifice fly to LF, RBI; Tuane Cope scored – MACU 4, OCU 0
• TOP 3^rd – OCU – Brittain Brewer singled to LF, RBI; Eli Hall scored – MACU 4, OCU 1
• TOP 3^rd – OCU – Brittain Brewer scored on error – MACU 4, OCU 2
• TOP 3^rd – OCU – Aiden Van Rensum singled to LF, RBI; Trent Baker scored – MACU 4, OCU 3
• TOP 4^th – OCU – Cooper Holtorf homered to LF, RBI – MACU 4, OCU 4
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Sammy Hallada tripled to CF, RBI; Jesse Ortega scored – MACU 5, OCU 4
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Jalen King singled to CF, RBI; Sammy Hallada scored – MACU 6, OCU 4
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Nick Hill doubled to LF, RBI; Jalen King scored – MACU 7, OCU 4
• BTM 7^th – MACU – Sammy Hallada scored on an error – MACU 8, OCU 4

GAME SUMMARY

• MACU scored first as the leadoff man Sammy Hallada reached via hit by pitch. Jalen King singled for the first Evangel hit of the game, then Nick Hill's sacrifice fly to left field scored Hallada. Cole Krepcik homered to right field to give MACU a 3-0 lead after the two-run homer.
• The Evangels added a fourth run in the second as Tuane Cope reached on a walk. Cope stole second and reached third on a fly out from Conner Thompson. Elijah Lee's sacrifice fly to left field allowed Cope to score from third.
• OCU responded with three runs in the top of the third as the lead off runner reached with a single and advanced to third on a series of ground outs. An RBI single allowed the opening run home. A defensive error from MACU scored a second Stars' run and advanced the runner to third and later scored on an RBI single.
• The Stars equalized in the top of the fourth with a solo home run to left center field. Ibrahim Gonzalez got momentum back with consecutive strikeouts to retire the side at 4-4.
• The Evangels didn't leave it tied for long as Sammy Hallada tripled to center field as pinch runner Jesse Ortega made it home. Jalen King's RBI-single scored Hallada. The Evangels weren't done there as Nick Hill doubled to left field to score King as MACU led 7-4 through five innings.
• MACU added an eighth run in the bottom half of the seventh as Hallada was hit by the pitch to lead off the inning once again. Sammy made it around to score after an error by the Stars' third baseman allowed him home.
• Ibrahim Gonzalez closed out the game with consecutive strikeouts for 12 total on the day and his sixth complete game of the season with the 8-4 win.

GAME NOTES

• MACU registered eight hits to OCU's nine. As both teams committed two defensive errors each.
• Ibrahim Gonzalez started on the mound and pitched his sixth complete game and first nine inning complete game of the season. Gonzalez moved into second-most complete games in a single season in MACU history, just one away from equaling the pace set by Robert Santana in the 2014 season and Keisy Portorreal in the 2018 season. Ibrahim struck out a season-high 12 batters to bring his season total up to 86 and moved into the top 10 in the history books in single season strikeouts.
• MACU bats were led by Jalen King and Nick Hill who both registered multiple hits. Hill hit a double, while Sammy Hallada hit for extra bases with a triple in his lone hit. Hallada led the way with three runs scored. Cole Krepcik hit the only Evangel home run with his third of the season in the two-run shot.  
• MACU trails OCU 16-47 all-time, but the Evangels have won six consecutive games against the Stars over the last two seasons.  

 
UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian stays in Joplin, Mo. to face the top seeded and No. 15 Texas Wesleyan in the Sooner Athletic Conference double elimination Tournament with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. at the Joe Becker Ballpark.