CMU BASEBALL VS. CLARKE PHOTO GALLERY
OZARK, Mo. – When Central Methodist University centerfielder Dustyn Macaluso (SR/Sacramento, Calif.) stepped to the plate and ripped a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence in the top of the eighth inning of the semifinal matchup between the No. 2-seed Eagles and No. 1-seed Clarke University Monday afternoon, CMU took an 7-6 lead and appeared to be on its way to a trip to the Heart of America Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament finals and an automatic berth into the NAIA Baseball National Championship tournament.
But despite widening the lead to 8-6 in the top of the ninth, the Eagles couldn't sustain the lead, as Clarke scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to send the game into extra frames tied at 8-8. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, the Crusaders managed an unearned run on no hits to escape with a 9-8 victory and a trip into the conference tournament championship round against No. 6-seed MidAmerica Nazarene University.
Both Clarke University (45-11), which is ranked No. 6 in the nation, and MidAmerica Nazarene (33-18) have earned the conference's spots in the NAIA Baseball National Championship tournament, which will begins with nine Opening Round double-elimination tournaments on May 15-18 at sites around the country. Central Methodist University (42-15), which was ranked No. 15 in the final NAIA Baseball Coaches' Poll, will have to wait until Thursday to find out if it will receive an at-large bid into the tournament.
"I couldn't be prouder of these guys," said CMU head coach Nate Breland after the game. "This game was between two of the best teams in the country and I was proud of the way we kept battling back the entire game. It's too bad somebody had to lose this game because both teams are really good."
The Central Methodist-Clarke matchup was one that everyone expected, with these two heavyweights pulling out all the stops in order to survive in this elimination game of the tourney. CMU pounded out 14 hits in the game, while the Crusaders finished with 11. Seven players in the game had multiple-hit performances, including four from CMU.
After a pair of hard-fought victories on Sunday, CMU appeared it was going to survive again. Brandon Alcala (JR/Alameda, Calif.) finished 3-for-3, with a walk and a pair of runs driven in. Quinn Conley (SR/Thousand Oaks, Calif.) posted a 3-for-5 effort, with a walk and a run scored, while Macaluso went 2-for-4, with his homer, two walks, a stolen base, a run driven in and two runs scored. Zach Beckner (SR/Versailles, Kent.) doubled and singled and scored a run.
Central Methodist players picking up one hit included Andrew Thomas (JR/Parker, Colo.) (single, BB, RBI, run), Fernando Villegas (JR/Hutchinson, Minn.) (single, RBI), DeAndre Smith (JR/Fresno, Calif.) (single, run) and Jared Johnson (JR/DeKalb, Ill.).
Evan Faccenda paced the Crusaders with a 3-for3 effort, hitting a double, drawing a walk, pushing in a pair of runs and scoring another. John Collins (2-for-4, double) and Austin Gehl (2-for-4, 2 walks, SB, RBI, run) also had a pair of hits.
Cole Nonweiler (JR/Lakeville, Minn.) started the contest on the mound for the Eagles and worked 3.1 innings. He threw 57 pitches, allowing five runs on six hits, with two walks. Kyle Fulton (JR/Monroe City, Mo.) threw 105 pitches in 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run (3 total) on five hits, with six strikeouts and five walks. Josh Thomas (SR/Parker, Colo.) (1-2) was the losing hurler, giving up an unearned run on no hits, with one walk in the tenth.
Anthony Ruden was the winner for Clarke, improving to 9-3 on the year. In the final three innings he gave up two runs on four hits, with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.
CMU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Andrew Thomas singled to left, driving in Haring from third base.
Clarke then bounced back with a run on two hits in the bottom of the third and four more on five hits in the fourth to give the Crusaders a 5-1 advantage.
After Clarke extended its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the CMU offense got cranked up, scoring five runs on four hits and an error in the top of the seventh to knot the score at 6-6.
Macaluso's 11th home run of the season in the eighth gave the Eagles a 7-6 lead. Central Methodist then added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Thomas scored on an error.
But Clarke was able to force extra innings in the bottom of the ninth with a pair of runs on two hits and an error. Then in the bottom of the tenth a CMU error resulted in the winning run crossing the plate.
HEART OF AMERICA ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
2017 POSTSEASON BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
at US Baseball Park, Ozark, Mo.
PLAY-IN ROUND
Thursday, May 4
Culver-Stockton College 14, Evangel University 13
Avila University 11, Graceland University 7
SECOND ROUND
Friday, May 5
GM 1: #1 Clarke University 7, #8 Culver-Stockton College 3
GM 2: #5 Grand View University 13, #4 Peru State College 6
GM 3: #2 Central Methodist University 6, #7 Avila University 0
GM 4: #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University 10, #3 Benedictine College 3
THIRD ROUND
Saturday, May 6
GM 5: #8 Culver-Stockton College 10, #4 Peru State College 6 (PSC eliminated)
GM 6: #3 Benedictine College 12, #7 Avila University 9 (Avila eliminated)
GM 7: #1 Clarke University 6, #5 Grand View University 2
GM 8: #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University 13, #2 Central Methodist University 3
SEMIFINALS
Sunday, May 7
GM 9: #3 Benedictine College 7, #5 Grand View University 0 (Grand View eliminated)
GM 10: #2 Central Methodist University 6, #8 Culver-Stockton 1 (10 inn.) (CS-C eliminated)
GM 11: #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University 7, #1 Clarke University 1
GM 12: #2 Central Methodist University 7, #3 Benedictine College 5 (BC eliminated)
Monday, May 8
GM 13: #1 Clarke University 9, #2 Central Methodist University 8 (10 inn.) (CMU eliminated)
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1
GM 14: #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University (33-18) vs. #1 Clarke University (45-11), 4 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 (if necessary)
Tuesday, May 9
GM 15: If necessary, 1 p.m.
CMU Baseball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com
