BETHANY, Okla. — The Hesston College baseball team fell 7–6 to Southwestern Christian University on Tuesday afternoon after a late run in the eighth inning proved to be the difference.
Hesston started strong in the opening inning when Federico Moran doubled to lead off the game and later scored on an RBI single from Samuel Vasquez to give the Larks a 1–0 lead.
The Larks extended their lead in the second inning in a big way. Chris Cammllarie was hit by a pitch and Cole Steinrich walked to set up Moran, who launched a three-run home run to put Hesston ahead 4–0. Hesston added two more runs in the third inning when Steinrich drove in a run with a single and Moran followed with another RBI single to extend the lead to 6–2.
Southwestern Christian began to chip away in the third inning with three runs, cutting the lead to 6–5. The Evangels tied the game in the sixth after a runner scored on a Hesston error to make it 6–6.
The game remained tied until the eighth inning when Southwestern Christian put runners on base and scored on a passed ball to take a 7–6 lead.
Hesston had one final opportunity in the ninth inning. Moran reached base and advanced into scoring position, but the Larks were unable to bring the tying run home as Southwestern Christian held on for the one-run victory.
Moran led the Larks at the plate with four hits, including a home run and four RBIs. Vasquez and Kaleb Wise each added two hits as Hesston finished with 10 hits in the game.
The Larks will return to action Friday when they travel to Springdale, Arkansas, to face Ecclesia College in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
