Kyle Segraves' walkoff two-out two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning gave MNU a victory in game two on Friday. The Pioneers were able to salvage a split as game one was a disaster. Graceland scored in all 5 innings and won 14-4 via the 10-run rule. MNU was still within striking distance in the 4th inning, but 5 errors led to 5 Yellowjacket runs and put the game out of reach.
Jarid Renzelman (2-3, 2B) and
Kirk Nungester (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI) had all 4 Pioneer hits.
In game two, the Pioneers again found themselves down big early in the game. A five-run second inning gave Graceland a 5-0 lead, but MNU didn't quit.
Kyle Segraves got the Pioneers on the board with a solo homer to right field in the third, but Graceland answered with a run in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead. In the bottom of the fourth,
Tim Purdin led off with a bomb which cleared the football bleachers and ended up on the football field. MNU followed with 4 singles mixed with 2 Graceland errors to score 4 more runs and tie the game. Graceland answered in the sixth inning with 3 runs on 3 hits and took a 9-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Dave Staton's bloop single to right field started the inning, and
Tim Purdin followed with a walk.
Josh Greer drove in a run with a single, but it seemed the rally was over after
AJ Nunley's one-hop bullet found the second baseman for a 4-6-3 double play. But
Cody Fuqua singled and
Darrell Huffman walked, setting up Segraves' heroics. With a full count and the runners moving, Segraves nailed a fastball off the left field fence, scoring Fuqua and Huffman and giving MNU a 10-9 victory.
Kevin Liddle pitched 5.2 innings of relief to pick up the victory. And
Kyle Segraves (3-4, R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI),
Tim Purdin (2-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB),
Josh Greer (2-4, R, RBI),
AJ Nunley (2-4, R, 2B), and
Cody Fuqua (2-4, 2 R, RBI) had multi-hit games.
The Pioneers are 16-18 (9-9 HAAC). The next double header is tomorrow at Graceland (12-19, 8-8) at 2:00 PM.
