Lewiston, Idaho - The Central Methodist baseball program fell in the Avista NAIA World Series National Championship game to Georgia Gwinnett by a final score of 8-4 Thursday night in Lewiston, Idaho.
Central finishes 2021 as the national-runner up, while the Grizzlies claim their first national title in progam history. The runner up finish is the best postseason finish of any CMU baseball team in program history. They also set program bests in wins (49), winning percentage (.859), team batting average (.341), home runs (87), team earned run average (3.33), and strikeouts (473) during the 2021 campaign. Central also posts a 3-2 overall record in its first World Series appearance.
After a scoreless first frame, Georgia Gwinnett jumped out in front with two runs in the bottom of the second, followed by one in the third and one in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead after four complete innings.
The Grizzlies added to their lead with a four-run sixth, pushing the advantage to 8-0.
Central's offense got started in the top of the eighth with four runs. Senior second basemen Deshawn Cole started the inning, reaching base on a misplayed grounder by the Grizzlies' shortstop. Fellow senior Kenny Otero drew a walk followed by a single from Logan Haring to load the bases. After Georgia Gwinnett collected a strikeout, Mason Schwellenbach stepped to the plate and reached on a misplayed grounder from the third basemen, scoring both Cole and Otero.
With CMU trailing 8-2, Grant Victor hit a ball through the hole at second base to once again load the bases with one out. Raul Cosme saw his first action of the World Series as a pinch hitter, drawing a bases loaded walk to score Haring.
After the Grizzlies forced another ground out, Nate Bray came in to pinch hit and reached on a walk for the fourth run of the inning. Central was looking for more with the bases loaded as Cole hit a blooper out to right field. But the Grizzlies' second basemen made an outstanding sliding catch to save two runs and record the final out of the inning.
Central was not able to chip away at the deficit any further, as Georgia Gwinnett held on in the final inning to claim their first national title.
Victor finished the evening batting three-for-five, while Haring and Macias each picked up two hits. Schwellenbach, Cosme, and Bray collected an RBI apiece.
Dylan Brister got the start on the bump, tossing an inning and a third with a strikeout. Beau Atkins came in relief and tossed the next three and a third innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out four batters. Isaiah Davis and Nino Puckett both saw action on the bump, while Macias came in to collect the final out of the eighth.
As a team, Central finished the game with four runs on seven hits, compared to eight runs for the Grizzlies on 15 hits.
For their efforts, three Eagles were named to the NAIA All-Tournament team including Macias (shortstop), McCay (catcher), and Nick Merkel (Pitcher).
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