PEOSTA, Iowa – For only the second time since the first week of the season the Central Methodist University baseball team dropped two games in a row. The Eagles, who jumped five spots in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Poll to No. 5 earlier in the day, struggled against the No. 9-ranked Crusaders, falling 17-4 and 6-5, at A.J. Spiegel Park Tuesday afternoon.
Despite the twin setbacks, Central Methodist (32-10) remains tied with Benedictine College (28-17) for first place in the Southern Division of the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Eagles are now 16-6 in league play, while the Ravens stand at 17-7. Clarke University improved to 36-8 on the year, 20-4 in league action. The Crusaders lead the Northern Division by four games over Peru State College (25-13, 15-7 Heart).
GAME 1 RECAP
Clarke had a strong outing in Game 1, scoring four runs in the first, third and fourth innings, then adding three in the second and two runs in the sixth as the Crusaders outhit the Eagles 20-6.
Dustyn Macaluso (SR/Sacramento, Calif.) led CMU with a 2-for-3 game at the dish. He scored a run and drove in three others with a double and a single. Jared Johnson (JR/DeKalb, Ill.) also doubled in three at-bats, drawing a walk and scoring a pair of runs. Quinn Conley (SR/Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Zach Beckner (SR/Versailles, Kent.) and Andrew Thomas (JR/Parker, Colo.) accounted for the other Central Methodist hits.
Eight different Clarke players posted hits in the game. Stephan Zanoni was a perfect 5-for-5, with a home run, a pair of doubles, two RBIs and four runs scored. Evan Faccenda was 4-for-5, with a homer, two doubles, five runs batted in and three runs scored. Jacob Blunt homered, drove in a pair of runs and finished 3-for-4 and Kevin Hunley had a 3-for-4 game, as well.
C.J. Martin (6-3) took the loss for the Eagles. He struggled at the start, allowing four runs on five hits. Ryan Franklin (SR/O'Fallon, Mo.) finished the game for CMU. Anthony Ruden (5-3) was the winning pitcher for Clarke. In five frames he gave up four runs on five hits, with five strikeouts and a walk.
GAME 2 RECAP
The Eagles rebounded well in Game 2, despite falling 6-5. Clarke early on, but Central Methodist continued to battle back. After trailing 4-0, CMU scored three runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to one. The Eagles took a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth when Riley Richarz (JR/Milwaukee, Wisc.), who was pinch running for Haring, plated when Fernando Villegas (JR/Hutchinson, Minn.) reached base on an error. Norris, who was running for Villegas, plated on Thomas' single.
But the Crusaders were able to push two runs across in the bottom of the frame on one hit and an error to gain the win.
Josh Thomas (SR/Parker, Colo.) was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Eagles. He drove in a pair of runs. Beckner doubled and scored a run, while DeAndre Smith (JR/Fresno, Calif.) doubled, pushed a run in and scored himself. Brandon Alcala (JR/Alameda, Calif.) and Jared Johnson also recorded hits for CMU.
Zanoni again led the Crusaders. He finished the game 3-for-4, with a home run, three runs batted in and two runs scored.
WHAT'S UP NEXT FOR THE EAGLES?
Central Methodist will now return home for a makeup doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, taking on Grand View University at Estes Field at 3 p.m. The Eagles will then be back on the road this weekend, traveling to Baldwin City, Kan., to take on Baker University on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). All six games are Heart of America Athletic Conference matchups.
CMU Baseball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com
