Baldwin City, Kan. - The No. 7 Central Methodist baseball team secured a weekend series split against Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan. 

Central now stands at 24-5 and 10-2 in conference play, while the Wildcats are now 14-15 and 6-8 in the Heart. 

Game 1

Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the sixth inning, a single from Tommaso Giarola scored Gannon Ruckman from third to tie the game. Central took the lead with two more runs in the seventh on one hit and one error by the Baker defense, earning a 4-2 victory

Bobby Nichols and Giarola led the Central bats with two hits apiece including a double for Nichols and a double for Cole Luedeking. 

Beau Atkins got the start on the bump, tossing five complete innings and giving up only two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Tyler Vicars came in relief and pitched the next 1.1 innings before Nino Puckett closed the game out in the seventh. 

Game 2

Central won a wild game two by the score of 13-10 Saturday afternoon, scoring 13 runs on 14 hits including two Wildcat errors. 

Jeff Vance finished the game batting three-of-four including a three-run home run in the third inning. Luedeking matched Vance with three hits, while Grant Victor and Giarola each drove in two base runners. 

Vicars got the win after throwing the last 2.2 innings and retiring eight of 10 batters faced. 

Game 3

The Eagles then fell in the third game of the series Sunday afternoon by a final of 5-4. 

Nichols picked up three hits in four at-bats including an RBI-single, a double, and a solo home run to right field in the seventh inning. Tanner Sears, Luedeking, and Robbie Merced all picked up two hits apiece. 

Senior ace Nick Merkel threw all six innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits in the narrow loss. 

Game 4

CMU concluded the four game series with a 12-11 loss. The Wildcats, who were trailing 11-10 in the bottom of the seventh, scored twice includind a walk off solo home run to win the game. 

Vance and Sears each drove in three runners, including three run homers for the pair in the third inning. Logan McDonald also tripled to left center field in the fifth to score two. 

Ryan Jeffers, Puckett, Drew Marrufo and Sears all saw time on the mound for CMU. 

Up Next

The Eagles will host Columbia College for a single nine-inning game Wednesday, March 30 at 4:00 p.m. at Estes Field.

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