Mid-America Christian University

JOPLIN, Mo. – No. 18 MACU Baseball bounced back with a 4-2 elimination game win against Nelson after suffering its largest defeat of the season in game one against top-seeded No. 15 Texas Wesleyan in 14-5 fashion on Saturday afternoon. The Evangels advance to the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Presented by Netting Pros/STADDIONIC Championship game to face Texas Wesleyan on Sunday afternoon.
 
GAME ONE
 
SCORE

• (2) Mid-America Christian 5, (1) Texas Wesleyan 14
  • No. 18 Mid-America Christian (36-13)
  • No. 15 Texas Wesleyan (41-8)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Michael Pelosi (8-2)
• Loss: Carlos Uribe (3-1)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Elijah Lee: 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, R
• Sammy Hallada: 3-5, RBI
• Tuane Cope: 2-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 1^st – MACU – Adam Hanan singled to LF, RBI; Nick Hill scored – MACU 1, TWU 0
• BTM 1^st – TWU – Jack Erickson homered, 2 RBI; Brendon Vela scored – MACU 1, TWU 2
• TOP 2^nd – MACU – Elijah Lee singled to RF, RBI; Tuane Cope scored – MACU 2, TWU 2
• BTM 2^nd – TWU – Gabriel Supelveda scored on error – MACU 2, TWU 3
• BTM 2^nd – TWU – Marcos Carrion sacrifice bunt, RBI; Jonathan Pena scored – MACU 2, TWU 4
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Tuane Cope singled to CF, RBI; Adam Hanan scored – MACU 3, TWU 4
• BTM 3^rd – TWU – Endi Jaquez homered to RF, RBI – MACU 3, TWU 5
• TOP 4^th – MACU – Elijah Lee homered to RF, RBI – MACU 4, TWU 5
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Sammy Hallada singled to CF, RBI; Tuane Cope scored – MACU 5, TWU 5
• BTM 6^th – TWU – Endi Jaquez walked, RBI; Brendon Vela scored – MACU 5, TWU 6
• BTM 6^th – TWU – Gabriel Supelveda walked, RBI; Jack Erickson scored – MACU 5, TWU 7
• BTM 6^th – TWU – Jonathan Pena singled to CF, 2 RBI; Endi Jaquez and Jorge Herrera scored – MACU 5, TWU 9
• BTM 6^th – TWU – Marcos Carrion walked, RBI; Giuseppe Buttaci scored – MACU 5, TWU 10
• BTM 6^th – TWU – Jose Rangel homered, 4 RBI; Marcos Carrion, Idelfonso Garcia, and Jonathan Pena scored – MACU 5, TWU 14

GAME SUMMARY

• MACU up to bat first in the opening inning put the first run on the board as Nick Hill's two-out double provided the first base runner for the Evangels. Adam Hanan's deep single to left field allowed Hill to score from second for an early 1-0 lead.
• Texas Wesleyan took the lead in the bottom half of the opening frame with a double, followed by a two-run home run as the Rams led 2-1.
• Tuane Cope walked in the second inning and advanced to second on a following ground out. Elijah Lee's RBI-single scored Cope from second and knotted it up at 2-2.
• The Rams responded with two runs in the second with consecutive singles to lead off the side. A defensive error from the Evangels allowed the first run to score, while the second came around shortly after and scored on a sacrifice bunt to put TWU up 4-2.
• In the top of the third, Adam Hanan and Frankie Giacalone both walked for two MACU base runners. Cope's RBI-single scored Hanan and advanced Giacalone to third. However, the Evangels were only able to score one and trailed 4-3.
• Texas Wesleyan restored its two-run lead in the fourth with a solo home run. However, Elijah Lee responded in the fourth with a leadoff home run; Lee's second homer of the year. MACU trailed by one again at 5-4 through four innings.
• The Evangels tied it up once again in the sixth inning as Sammy Hallada singled to center field to score Cope again. Tuane reached on a leadoff double and scored to make it 5-5.
• The Rams blew the game wide open in the bottom half of the sixth and put up a nine spot. The Evangels forced the first two outs but gave up three consecutive singles to load the bases. Three walks and a two-RBI single extended the lead to 10-5, then a grand slam from Texas Wesleyan grew the lead to 14-5 through six innings.
• MACU looked for a response in the final three innings but mustered just one hit and lost by a final score 14-5.

GAME NOTES

• MACU tallied 12 hits but were second-best at the plate as TWU recorded 16 hits. The Evangels committed a pair of errors on the defensive end.
• Carlos Uribe started on the mound and pitched 5.2 innings. Uribe did strike out three batters but conceded 13 hits and seven earned runs. Jace Reid closed out the game with 2.1 innings of work with four strikeouts and just two hits and one earned run.
• A pair of MACU batters recorded three hits as Sammy Hallada went 3-5 with an RBI. Elijah Lee batted 3-4 with two RBIs and a solo home run; his second of the season. Tuane Cope contributed multiple hits on the offensive end in a 2-3 outing with two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk.
• MACU falls to 13-32 all-time against TWU and snapped the Evangels' longest win streak against the Rams at six consecutive dating back to the 2024 season.

 
GAME TWO
 
SCORE

• (2) Mid-America Christian 4, (5) Nelson 2
  • No. 18 Mid-America Christian (37-13)
  • (RV) Nelson (36-18)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Fabian Hernandez (3-2)
• Loss: Luke Edmonds (4-4)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Fabian Hernandez: W, 9 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 12 SO
• Elijah Lee: 2-3, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, SB
• Tuane Cope: 2-5, 2B, R
• Jalen King: 2-5, RBI, SB

SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 1^st – Nelson – Odnal Rivera scored on error – MACU 0, Nelson 1
• TOP 2^nd – MACU – Elijah Lee singled to CF, RBI; Dyson Kinnaman scored – MACU 1, Nelson 1
• BTM 3^rd – Nelson – Joshua Pinter homered, RBI – MACU 1, Nelson 2
• TOP 6^th – MACU – Elijah Lee doubled to RF, 2 RBI; Frankie Giacalone and Tuane Cope scored – MACU 3, Nelson 2
• TOP 8^th – MACU – Jalen King singled to RF, RBI; Dyson Kinnaman scored – MACU 4, Nelson 2

GAME SUMMARY

• MACU knocked on the door early as Nick Hill doubled in the first inning. Adam Hanan walked for early base runners, but the third out came shortly after leaving both Evangel runners on base.
• Nelson scored the first run in its opening at bats as a pair of defensive errors by the Evangels allowed the runner on base and eventually scored. However, the defense forced two outs to retire the side and leave a pair of Lions' runners on base.
• With two outs in the second inning, Jahzeel Groetelaers started the two-out rally with a base hit to right field. Dyson Kinnaman courtesy ran and advanced to second. Elijah Lee continued his hot day from the plate with an RBI-single to center field as Kinnaman scored from second base to tie it up at 1-1.
• The Lions jumped back in front in the bottom of the third with a lead off solo home run to restore their one-run lead at 2-1.
• The Evangels took the lead in the top of the sixth inning after consecutive hits with leadoff man Frankie Giacalone reaching on a single. Tuane Cope followed it up with a double as runners advance to scoring positions. Elijah Lee once again stepped up and delivered for MACU and doubled to right center field to score both the tying and go-ahead run as the Evangels led 3-2.
• In the top of the eighth, MACU tacked on an insurance run as bases loaded, Jalen King singled to right field as courtesy runner Dyson Kinnaman came home to score. However, the Evangels were unable to capitalize on the bases loaded situation and the lead stayed at 4-2.
• Fabian Hernandez on the mound for MACU retired the final seven Lions' batters in route to closing out a 4-2 win in the elimination game.

GAME NOTES

• MACU dominated the hit department by a 10-2 margin. The two hits allowed marked the second lowest for the Evangels this season and etched Fabian Hernandez into the MACU Record Book becoming just the 12^th Evangel pitcher to complete the game allowing just two hits or less.  
• Fabian Hernandez joined Ibrahim Gonzalez to pitch a complete nine inning game this weekend. Before Gonzalez and Hernandez achieved this feat this weekend, the last Evangel pitcher to go the full nine innings was Madison Spencer on Feb. 10, 2017, against Kansas Wesleyan. Hernandez also set a new career-high 12 strikeouts, while allowing just two hits, one earned run, and two walks. Fabian moves into the top six in single season strikeouts with 94 on the year, remaining just three back of the top five.
• Three MACU batters recorded multiple hits led once again by nine-hole hitter Elijah Lee in a 2-3 outing with a double and a team-high three RBIs. Lee finished the day 5-7 with a home run and five RBIs. Tuane Cope batted 2-5 with a double and a run scored. Jalen King added the fourth RBI in a 2-5 plate appearance.
• MACU improves to 32-20 all-time against Nelson and avenged the regular season series loss to the Lions earlier this season.   

 
UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian advances to the SAC Tournament Championship game to face top-seeded No. 15 Texas Wesleyan with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. The Evangels will have to beat the Rams twice to claim the crown as the second game will take place after game one, if necessary, at the Joe Becker Ballpark in Joplin, Mo.