The Pioneers swept a 4-game series at Evangel to close the regular season. In Game 1, MNU got on the board in the top of the second when
Jordan Eckley's 2-out 3-run homer gave the Pioneers a 3-0 lead. Starter
Blake Robberson escaped a bases loaded 1-out jam with a strikeout and a groundout in the bottom of the second, and the Crusaders hardly threatened again.
Lenzie Foley and Eckley combined to drive in 3 runs in the fourth, and Robberson made it hold up.
Blake Robberson struck out 6 in a complete game shutout. And
Jordan Eckley (3-4, R, HR, 5 RBI),
Nelson Santiago (2-3, 2 R), and
Kelvin Perez (2-3, R) had multi-hit games.
In Game 2, the Pioneers scored 3 in the third when
Christian Quinones led off with a walk and
Lenzie Foley followed with a triple.
Jordan Eckley doubled home Foley and scored on a sac fly from
Jason Jones. Evangel answered with 1 in the bottom of the third, but MNU got it right back in the top of the fourth on
Kelvin Perez's 8th homer of the season. Evangel scored on a triple and an error, but neither team dented the plate again, and
Zach Stinnett closed out the seventh to preserve the 4-2 victory.
Phil Graham struck out 7 in 6 innings for the win. And
Kelvin Perez (2-3, R, HR, RBI) and
Lenzie Foley (2-3, R, 3B, RBI, SB) led the offense.
In Game 3, MNU put 4 on the board before recording an out. Two singles, a 2-run double, and a 2-run homer gave starter
Emilio Gonzales a cushion, and the offense kept adding on.
Jason Jones hit his 15th home run of the season in the top of the fourth, tying Ben Alison's 15 bombs in 2012 as an MNU single-season high. The Pioneers scored 3 in the fifth and 2 in the seventh, and the Crusaders managed a pair of 2-run homers for an 11-4 final. Gonzales recorded his seventh win of the year. And
Jordan Eckley (2-4, 3 R, RBI, SB, HBP),
Lenzie Foley (2-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI),
Jason Jones (3-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI),
Robert Berning (2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB), and
Blake Robberson (2-3, R) had multi-hit games.
In Game 4, the Pioneers had to dig out of a big hole. After Evangel scored 4 runs in the third to take a 5-1 lead, senior
Nate Miller entered a game for the first time this season and held the Crusaders at bay. He recorded the final out of the third and pitched 2 more scoreless innings while the offense made a comeback. In the top of the fourth with 1 out,
Kelvin Perez walked and
Christian Quinones was hit by a pitch. After another walk to load the bases,
Blake Robberson's RBI groundout got MNU 1 run closer.
Jordan Eckley followed with a 2-run double, and
Jason Jones gave the Pioneers a 6-5 lead with a 2-run single. MNU added an unearned run on a
Brandon Marrero RBI double, and
Zach Stinnett and
Lenzie Foley pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh to preserve the victory.
Nate Miller earned his first collegiate victory with 2.1 scoreless innings.
Lenzie Foley picked up the save. And
Jordan Eckley (1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI),
Jason Jones (1-4, 2 RBI),
Christian Quinones (1-3, 2 R, RBI, HBP), and
Brandon Marrero (2-2, 2B, RBI, BB) led the offense.
MNU is ends the regular season 38-13 (21-11 Heart). The conference tournament starts Thursday in Joplin.
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