San Antonio, Texas - The No. 10 Central Methodist University baseball team opened up the 2021 season with two wins on opening day, defeating (RV) Our Lady of the Lake by scores of 5-4 and 12-0 Friday afternoon in San Antonio, Texas.
Central jumped out in front in the first game after a passed ball allowed senior Mason Schwellenbach to score from third, giving Central a 1-0 lead. Our Lady of the Lake responded with two runs in the next half inning and two more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead over CMU.
The Eagles answered back with two runs in the top of the fourth on a RBI single from Logan McDonald and an error by the second basemen, which scored Devon Garcia. CMU tied the ball game at 4-4 in the next half inning after a wild pitch from the OLLU pitcher allowed Winston Welter to score.
Senior Sergio Macias recorded the game winning hit in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI single to left field, giving the Eagles the narrow 5-4 win over Our Lady of the Lake in game one. Macias and McDonald led the offense with two hits apiece, while Welter and Schwellenbach each scored two runs.
Kenny Otero earned his first win of 2021 as Central's starting pitcher, tossing 6.2 innings and giving up three earned runs on nine hits and four strikeouts. Dylan Brister picked up the save, recording the final out of the game for CMU.
Game two featured the Eagles' powerful offense, as Central scored two runs in the first, third, and fourth innings. CMU added a run in the top of the sixth, and broke the game open with five runs in the final half inning, completing the 12-0 shutout.
Deshawn Cole, Haring, and Schwellenbach led the offense with three RBI each. Haring also added two doubles, while Otero and Adrian Martinez each picked up an RBI. Overall, the CMU bats produced 15 hits, including four extra base hits and six walks.
Nick Merkel got the game two start on the bump, pitching six complete innings and allowing only five hits and two walks. Merkel also recorded six strikeouts in his first win of the 2021 campaign.
The Eagles conclude the four game series against OLLU with two more games on Saturday in San Antonio, with first pitch of game three set for 12:00 p.m.
#TakeFlight
