Fayette, Mo. - The No. 5 nationally-ranked Central Methodist baseball team completed a four-game series sweep over Heart newcomer Park University Saturday and Sunday afternoon at Estes Field.
The Eagles began the series with two Saturday wins over the Pirates by scores of 13-6 and 7-3. They solidified the series sweep with a 10-2 win in game three followed by a 7-1 victory in the finale.
Central improves to 23-3 and 10-1 in conference play, while the Pirates fall to 3-17 and 2-10 in the Heart.
CMU opened the series with a convincing 13-6 victory in game one. Kenny Otero got the start on the bump, tossing 5.1 innings and giving up two earned runs on five hits and two walks. He finished the afternoon with five strikeouts, good enough to propel him to his fifth win of the year.
Adrian Martinez led the offense batting three-of-four with three RBI including a home run and a double. He also scored two runs. Max McCay, Grant Victor, Sergio Macias, Logan Haring, and Otero each collected two hits, while Haring, McCay, and Garcia each recorded two RBI. Overall the Eagle bats collected 16 hits and drew six walks in game one.
Game two featured more of the CMU offense, as Central scored two runs in the first, one in the second, and four in the third to solidify a 7-3 win. Junior Nick Merkel pitched six innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts, pushing his record to a perfect 6-0.
Haring collected two more hits and drove in three runs including a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Martinez drove in two RBI on a double. Overall, CMU recorded five doubles, a triple from Logan McDonald and a home run from Haring.
CMU continued to roll into day two with a convincing 10-2 win in game three, highlighted by a six-run second inning. Martinez and Deshawn Cole finished with three hits apiece, while Martinez once again led the offense with three RBI. Senior ace Mason Schwellenbach returned to the bump with a convincing win, tossing six complete innings with nine strikeouts. The Saginaw, Mich. native allowed only two runs on three hits.
Isaiah Davis came in relief for the final inning, retiring three of four batters faced.
The Eagles concluded the series with a 7-1 victory in game four, scoring runs in the first, fourth, and fifth innings. Macias and Devon Garcia each collected two hits and two RBI apiece. Schwellenbach also drove in two runs. Dylan Brister tossed the final game for Central, rolling through fiving innings and giving up only one earned run on five hits along with three strikeouts.
Beau Atkins tossed the final two innings and did not concede a hit, retiring all six batters including four K's.
Haring continues to chase the all-time hit record, currently held by Head Baseball Coach Nate Breland (241). The senior first basemen is now just seven hits away from taking over the top spot at 242.
Central heads back out on the road with a four-game series against Missouri Valley College beginning on Friday, April 2 at 1:00 p.m. in Marshall, Mo.
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