McPHERSON, Kan. (MacBulldogs.com) — The Ottawa University Braves scored 11 runs in the final three innings Tuesday (Mar. 12) to knock off the McPherson College Bulldogs at Bulldog Park.
With the Bulldogs needing just three outs in the top of the seventh to secure the run-rule victory, Johnny Vulcano hit a leadoff home run to spark the Braves comeback. Ottawa added three more in the top of the seventh to bring them within 13-7.
The Braves added four more in the eighth on a grand slam by Jeremy Freeman, trimming the Bulldog lead to 13-11. Three more in the ninth put Ottawa on top for the first time in the game.
Ethan Alexander made the start for the Bulldogs, and threw 4.2 innings with three strikeouts, and kept the Braves off the board for the first four innings.
MC scored 13 runs on 16 hits, but were held to just two hits in the final three innings.
Peyton Starr finished 3-for-5 at the plate with six RBIs, while Colin Evers was also 3-for-5 and added four RBIs. Andres Artola drove in a pair of runs thanks to three hits.
The Bulldogs scored eight runs in the bottom of the second to help mount their 10-run lead. MC loaded the bases before Starr hit his eighth home run of the season, this one a grand slam. An RBI double by Artola brought Kevinn Castillo around to score to make it a 5-0 Bulldog lead, then Evers hit a three-run blast.
MC added one more in the third, thanks to an RBI single by Starr, then tacked on another in the fourth when Artola led off the inning with a solo home run.
The Braves got on the board with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to trim the lead to 10-3, but Evers hit his second homer of the game in the bottom half of the inning, this one a solo shot. MC added two more, including an RBI single to left center field by Starr, but that would be all the scoring for the Bulldogs.
MC will be back at Bulldog Park this weekend for a three-game set against York University beginning on Saturday.
