Springfield, Missouri – With the KCAC Tournament standings in the air, the Bulldogs made the long trip to Missouri to square off with the Evangel University Valor for a three-game weekend series. Prior to this matchup, Tabor College left TC Construction Field with the final laugh of their season-long series with a 14-3 victory over the Bulldogs.
The Basics
Location: University Baseball Field
Records: MC 22-22 (19-14 KCAC), EU 22-22 (16-16 KCAC)
Game One: MC 6, EU 16
McPherson started off the series with the first four runs of the weekend in the top of the second inning of game one. Will Sevier’s home run to left field sent home three runs for the Bulldogs followed by Jared Kramp’s infield RBI single to give the visitors a 4-0 cushion.
That cushion was removed from the chair, as the Valor found a six spot in the bottom of the third to take a 6-4 lead. Jaylon Woodley cut the lead down to one in the top of the fourth with an RBI double to send home Will Sevier, but this was the last closest point of the ballgame as Evangel went on to score seven more runs to pour onto their lead. Myles Vazquez managed to homer in the seventh inning, but with Evangel scoring three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, the game ended in a run rule in favor of the Valor with the 16-6 series-opening win.
Game Two: MC 3, EU 8
In Friday’s second ballgame, the Valor rolled to an 8-3 victory in seven innings over the Bulldogs. The Valor opened up the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the second inning highlighted with a three-run bomb from Mason Reilly to left center to give Evangel a 4-0 lead. Ky’rell Taylor found McPherson’s first run of the game with an RBI single out to right field to drive in Austin Easter, with the score sitting at 4-1.
Reilly then batted in his fourth run of the game in the bottom of the fourth to regain the four-run lead. Evangel found their final three runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth; one run was scored on a balk by the Bulldogs and the other two were scored on a two RBI triple from Nate Nunes, giving the Valor an 8-1 lead.
Down to their final three outs, Jared Kramp managed to drive in two runs on a two RBI double to center field. Following two groundouts from McPherson, Evangel secured the series with an 8-3 Game Two victory.
Game Three: MC 11, EU 1
With a sour taste from Friday’s doubleheader, the Bulldogs dominated the final game of the series on Saturday with an 11-1 victory over Evangel.
Getting the nod on the mound was Kadin Gehring who would go on to throw a complete game for the Bulldogs. Gehring allowed just three hits and one run while striking out 10 batters of the 26 he faced on Saturday. He improved his record to 7-1 over the weekend, the best record on the team.
Troy Stukenberg and Myles Vazquez led the way offensively for McPherson as the two would combine for six RBIs on four hits in eight at bats.
Stukenberg scored the first two runs of the game on a two RBI single in the top of the first inning, followed by Will Sevier’s sacrifice fly to right field to give McPherson an early 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs capitalized on the momentum in the second inning with four more runs off of three hits from Woodley, Vazquez, and Stukenberg for a 7-0 advantage with seven innings left to be played.
Evangel’s Nate Nunes drove in the Valor’s lone run of the ballgame with an RBI double down the right field line to drive in Kai Strasser. With McPherson scoring four more unanswered runs, the Bulldogs managed to find a win on the weekend with the 11-1 run rule victory.
