CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The No. 20-ranked Central Methodist University baseball team split in a doubleheader contest at Mount Mercy on Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE (W 14-1)
The Eagles used the long ball to secure a win in the opening contest after launching five homeruns in game one. Logan Haring (SR/DeKalb, Ill.) opened the day with a two-run bomb in the first inning. Adrian Martinez (JR/Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) followed suit in the same frame after sending a shot over the left field fence.
A three-run homer by Sergio Macias (SR/Laredo, Tex.) stretched the lead to six in the third inning. Macias came through again with another shot over the fence that plated three in the top of the fifth.
Both teams notched one run each in the sixth inning as Kenny Otero (SR/Rio Grande, PR) went the distance for the Eagles and a double by the Mustangs plated one. Central closed out the scoring for both sides with a four-run showing in the seventh frame, highlighted by a pair of RBIs from Macias and Otero.
Otero secured the win after tossing a complete game. He scattered six hits and surrendered one run while striking out six batters through seven innings on the bump.
GAME TWO (L 6-5)
Mount Mercy struck first in the nightcap after plating one run in the second inning. The Eagles got on the board in the fourth frame after a double by Max McCay (SR/Carlisle, Iowa) sent one runner home.
Central briefly took the lead in the fifth inning after a sacrifice fly from Macias scored one runner, but the Mustangs responded with a five-run rally in the bottom of the frame to regain the advantage. A three-run shot over the left field fence from Haring nearly evened the odds, but the comeback effort fell short.
Mason Schwellenbach (SR/Saginaw, Mich.) suffered the loss after 4.1 innings on the mound. He allowed five earned runs on six hits and punched out five batters. Beau Atkins (JR/Riverton, Ill.) pitched the final 1.2 innings and struck out three batters without allowing a hit.
UP NEXT
Central is set to host Olivet Nazarene on Tuesday, March 10th, at 1 PM on Estes Field.
