Sterlington, La. - The No. 2 Central Methodist baseball program earned a two-game split on the final day of the Cajun Collision Saturday afternoon in Sterlington, La.
The Eagles fell to McPherson College, 9-4 in the first game of the day, before concluding the tournament with a thrilling walk off win over Southwestern Christian College (Okla.) in extra innings, 3-2.
Central and McPherson were tied at 1-1 heading into the Top of the third inning, before the Bulldogs scored four runs to take a 5-1 lead. CMU would battle back in the fourth inning with three runs, including a two-RBI double from Tommaso Giarola followed by a RBI-double from Tanner Sears to score Giarola
McPherson responded with four runs in the fifth inning to push their lead to 9-4. The Eagle bats were unable to put together a comeback in the latter stages of the game, ultimately falling by a final score of 9-4.
Victor Plaz led the Eagles' offense with two hits in three at-bats while Giarola finished the game with two runs driven in and a pair of walks. Anthony G. Rodriguez got the start on the bump, tossing two and two thirds innings. Nino Puckett, Tyler Vicars, and Ryan Jeffers came in relief in the later innings to finish the game.
The finale was a low scoring affair as both teams entered the seventh inning tied at 2-2. Neither team could break the deadlock, so the game was to be decided in extra innings.
In the first at-bat in the bottom of the ninth for Central, junior infielder Robbie Merced crushed a solo home run to left fied, sending the Eagles home on a walk off victory, 3-2.
Merced carried Central's offense throught out the game, as the Springfield, Mo. native batted three-of-four including all three RBI for CMU.
Senior catcher Jeff Vance was the only other Eagle to record a mult-hit game with two hits.
Brandon Tyler got the start on the bump, tossing two and a third innings with two strikeouts. Beau Atkins pitched the next four and two thirds innings for the Eagles, recording seven K's.
Tanner Sears tossed the final two innings to keep the score even at 2-2, earning his first win of his CMU career.
Central finishes the high-profile tournament with a 2-2 record, pushing their overall record to 6-2.
The Eagles will turn their attention to the Joplin Invitational beginning with a pair of games against Roosevelt and Briar Cliff Saturday, Feb. 19 in Joplin, Mo.
⚾️, See. You. Later! Robbie Merced hits a walk-off home run to left to give Central a 3-2 win over Southwestern Christian in the final game of the @CajunCollision! #GoGreen��⚪️
— CMU Athletics (@cmueagles) February 13, 2022
BOX SCORE: https://t.co/Hnz7H8xFRS pic.twitter.com/a8SvPBEMQZ
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