Joplin, Mo. For the fourth straight game, the Eagles got down early and were forced to play catch-up, but the cardiac kids from Central Methodist University responded for a 9-6 comeback victory Sunday against MidAmerica Nazarene University in the Heart of America Athletic Conference postseason baseball tournament championship at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Missouri.
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With the victory, the Central Methodist University Eagles improve to 43-15 on the year, while MidAmerica Nazarene University; who are currently receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll drop to 42-15 overall with the loss.
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The Pioneers of MidAmerica Nazarene University jumped on Eagles' starting pitcher Dustin Dalton (St. Peters, Mo.) early, to the tune of four runs in three innings. Dalton lasted just the three frames, while allowing the four runs on five hits and one walk. Dalton was relieved by lefty Chris Danielson (Saugaus, Calif.), and Danielson would go on to earn the win (3-0), in his five innings of work. Danielson allowed just one run, on three hits, with five strikeouts and three walks.
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Central would get their offense going on Sunday in the bottom of the third inning, when Joba Ferrell singled in Andrew Thomas (Parker, Colo.) for the Eagles first run of the game to make it 4-1. Central would tack on another run on an error committed by the Pioneers, and head to the fourth inning down by just two.
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Following scoreless fourth and fifth innings, the Eagles offense would come to life once more in a big way. Central broke out for two runs in the sixth inning, four runs in the seventh inning, and another run in the eighth inning to cap off their 9-6 win.
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Offensively for Central Methodist, every starter recorded at least one hit, with the 1-2 batters of Joba Ferrell (Chicago, Ill.) and Chance Sugg (Paragould, Ark.) combined to finish 4-for-10 with three runs scored, two RBI's, one triple and one walk.
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Brad Cuyos (Pearland, Tex.) had himself a day for the Eagles, finishing 1-for-5 at the plate with a solo homerun, and Cuyos pitched the ninth inning to earn his fourth save of the year.
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The conference championship victory has earned Central Methodist a bid into the eighth annual NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. The 45-team event will be played out May 17^th through the 20^th, and features nine, five-team double elimination tournaments. Opening Round qualifiers and seeding will be announced May 13.
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For more information about Central Methodist University athletics, visit http://www.cmueagles.com. Follow CMU athletics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cmathletics and on Twitter twitter.com/cmueagles. �������
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