Late Game Heroics Propel Central Methodist to Sweep Mustangs

FAYETTE, Mo. - The Mustang baseball program fell in both games on Saturday to sixth-ranked Central Methodist thanks to some timely hitting from the Eagles late in both contests, as CMU would take both games by scores of 4-3 and 5-4.

Game One

The Mustangs (12-14) saw hits from five different players, as three different players would also record an RBI. Joel Vaske, Josh Notriano, and Nick Meyer would each end the game with a hit and an RBI.

CMU got the scoring started in the bottom of the first as Bobby Nichols scored on a passed ball as the Eagles jumped out to a quick one run lead. The Mustangs would respond with three runs of their own in the top of the third inning. Nick Meyer tallied his lone hit in the contest on a solo homer to left center, tying the game at one. Vaske would follow that up with an RBI single to left, scoring Drake Frazier as the Mustangs took their first lead of the game. Notriano added an RBI double of his own as MMU extended the lead to 3-1 after three innings of play.

The Eagles wouldn't go down without a fight, as Carlos Negron struck with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning that would prove to be the decisive scoring play of the contest as CMU was able to jump back in front after six innings of play, and the Mustangs weren't able to convert in the top of the seventh.

Foster Seitz saw his record improve to 6-1, pitching all seven innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out eight batters. Kyle Lehmann was tabbed with the loss, pitching six innings and allowing three while striking out six.

Game Two

MMU saw Lehmann go 2-3 at the plate in game two, while Bryce Brown drove in all four runs in the loss. As was the story in game one, CMU's Carlos Negron dealt some damage to pace the Eagles series sweep.

Negron struck first for CMU, belting his second long ball of the day in the bottom of the first on a two-run shot to left field, as CMU jumped out to a two run lead. Negron was able to come across the plate in the fourth on a Mount Mercy balk to extend the lead, before Valentin Cerna Jr. added a long ball of his own in the fifth.

The Mustangs runs came across to score in the top of the sixth, thanks to a Bryce Brown grand slam, scoring Vaske, Lehmann, and Jaden Hackbarth, as the Mustangs were able to tie up the game. In the bottom of the seventh, Nichols tacked on the final run on a walkoff shot to left field, as CMU was able to sweep the series by a score of 5-4.

Alexander Billo earned the win, pitching 0.2 innings in relief while allowing just one walk. Tyler Nagelbach was tabbed with the loss, pitching an inning in relief and giving up the walkoff run. 

The Mustangs will return to the diamond next weekend, taking on Culver-Stockton on the road, with the series slated to start on Friday.