Pioneers Sweep Culver-Stockton

The Basics
Score 1: MNU 3 - Culver-Stockton 1
Score 2: MNU 11 - Culver-Stockton 1
Score 3: MNU 8 - Culver-Stockton 4
Score 4: MNU 13 - Culver-Stockton 5
Records: MNU (11-4, 7-1), CSC (6-10, 0-4)
Location: Mid-America Sports Complex | Shawnee, Kan.

SHAWNEE, Kan. – MidAmerica Nazarene dominated their home series against Culver-Stockton, sweeping all 4 games over the weekend. In Game 1, MNU edged Culver in a tightly contested opener, securing a 3-1 victory behind the stellar pitching of Luis Lopez. The Pioneers broke a scoreless tie in the third inning when Javier Melendez's sacrifice fly plated Christopher Lugo. CSC answered with a run in the fourth, but Sean Maple's RBI double in the bottom half put MNU back in front. The Pioneers added an insurance run in the fifth as Brentt Olmo scored on a wild pitch, and Giancarlo Cortez closed it out with 3 strikeouts in the 7th.

Game 1 Turning Point
Maple's RBI double in the 4th gave MNU the lead for good.

Game 1 Individual Leaders
Luis Lopez struck out 7 in 6 innings for the win. Giancarlo Cortez struck out 3 in the 7th for the save. And Brentt Olmo (2-3, R, 2B, BB), Sean Maple (1-2, 2B, RBI, BB), and Christopher Lugo (1-2, R, 2B, BB) led the offense.

The Pioneers' offense erupted in Game 2, pounding out 15 hits en route to an 11-1 victory. MNU struck early, scoring twice in the first on RBI hits from Melendez and Willy Borquez. After CSC trimmed the lead in the third, MNU responded with a three-run frame, pushing the lead to 5-1. A 2-run triple from Christopher Lugo in the 5th made it 8-2, and 3 more scored in the 6th for a 11-1 victory. Lugo had a huge day, driving in four runs, while Adam Gray was untouchable on the mound, firing a two-hit complete game with seven strikeouts.

Game 2 Turning Point
MNU's 2-run 1st was enough.

Game 2 Individual Leaders
Adam Gray struck out 7 in a complete game 2-hitter. And Brentt Olmo (2-4, R), Drew Woodley (2-3, 2 R, BB), Javier Melendez (2-2, R, 2 RBI, SB, SF), Willy Borquez (2-3, R, RBI, BB), Noah Castillo (1-2, 2 R, 2 BB), Christopher Lugo (2-3, 3B, 4 RBI), and Brysen Hamilton (2-4) had big games at the plate.

MNU took the series with an 8-4 victory in Game 3. Culver-Stockton took an early 2-0 lead, but MNU responded immediately as Javier Melendez launched a two-run homer in the first. The teams traded runs until the fifth, when MNU put up a four-spot, fueled by a Melendez RBI double and a two-run double from Kaden Owens.

The bullpen came up clutch, with Nate Uglialoro earning the win in relief, and Reece Helland slamming the door with two scoreless innings.

Game 3 Turning Point
Owens' two-run double in the fifth put MNU ahead for good.

Game 3 Individual Leaders
Nate Uglialoro got the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Reece Helland struck out 3 in 2 innings for the save. And Brentt Olmo (1-2, 2 R, 2 BB), Javier Melendez (3-3, 2 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI), and Kaden Owens (2-2, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) led the offense.

MNU completed the sweep with a 13-5 victory in the series finale. The game was tied in the 2nd, but the Pioneers rallied for 3 in the bottom of the inning and blew it open with a 6-run 4th - highlighted by a Javier Melendez triple, Kaden Owens double, and Will Borquez triple in succession - to take a 10-1 lead. Three more scored in a 5th, highlighted by a Sean Maple 2-run homer, and MNU cruised to a 13-5 victory.

Game 4 Turning Point
MNU's 3-run 2nd inning gave MNU a lead they would not relinquish.

Game 4 Individual Leaders
Logan Burbach struck out 3 in 4 scoreless innings for the win. And Drew Woodley (1-3, 3 R, BB, SB), Kaden Owens (3-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB), Willy Borquez (2-4, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI), Sean Maple (3-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI), and Noah Castillo (2-3) led the offense.

Up Next
The next series is Friday (single 9-inning game) and Saturday (two 7-inning games) at home vs. Bellevue.