McPherson, Kan – Following a dominant three-game sweep over the Southwestern College Moundbuilders a week prior, the Bulldogs hosted the Panthers of York University for a weekend series. York had displayed their ability to get hot at a moment’s notice with a series victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan last weekend; astonishingly, they were outscored 10-27 in that series.
The Basics
Location: TC Construction Field at Bulldog Park
Records: MC 19-17 (16-9 KCAC), 13-24 (11-14 KCAC)
Game One: MC 9, YU 1
Despite a seven-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Bulldogs, Daniel Norris was the highlight of Game One after getting his fourth win of the season. The Texan threw for eight innings and allowed no runs off of two hits. More notable, Norris broke a school record for the most strikeouts thrown (14) in a single game in McPherson College history.
Conner Baker drove home the most runs for the Bulldogs in Game One with three RBIs, followed closely behind by Marcus Patton who batted home two runs for McPherson. Baker picked up all three RBIs in the bottom of the fourth on a 3 RBI double. Prior to this, Patton picked up his two RBIs on a 2 RBI single.
McPherson’s final run of the game felt like the nail in the coffin after Jared Kramp hammered a ball over the fence in right center, lifting the Bulldogs to a 9-0 lead. After giving up just one run in the ninth, McPherson opened up the weekend with a 9-1 victory.
Game Two: MC 16, YU 3
Colt Uphold and Will Sevier led the way in Saturday’s first game against the Panthers as they would finish the day with four RBIs a piece. Patton and Baker combined for four additional RBIs to add onto their already impressive weekend performance.
Kadin Gehring threw a complete game for McPherson on the mound allowing just three runs off of five hits, striking out six batters in 26 at bats. He would pick up his fifth win of the year to move his season record to 5-1.
The Bulldogs dominated from start to finish of this ballgame. York managed to score on a 3 RBI double in the fifth inning, but by then it was too late as McPherson had already put up 10 runs of their own. After scoring six additional runs in the fifth inning alone, the Bulldogs put the run-rule into effect winning 16-3 and taking the series. This win marked the fourth series victory of the year for McPherson.
Game Three: MC 5, YU 4
After two scoreless innings to start the final game of the series, the Panthers held their first lead of the weekend after a ground-rule doble from Jose Martinez batted in two runs.
The lead lasted two innings before the Bulldogs got back into the driver’s seat. From the fourth to the sixth inning, McPherson scored five unanswered runs to take a 5-2 lead into the top of the seventh where three more outs would give the Bulldogs a weekend sweep over the Panthers.
After giving up just two runs in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs held on for the 5-4 victory in Game Three, making it two consecutive weekends of series sweeps for McPherson.
