Fayette, Mo. - The No. 8 Central Methodist baseball team completed the series sweep over the Evangel Valor Monday afternoon at Estes Field. Central took game three of the series 15-1, followed by a 5-1 victory in the series finale.
With the two wins, Central improves to 22-3 and 8-0 in the conference. The Valor fall to 12-12 and 3-5 in Heart play.
CMU's high-powered offense continued its hot weekend in the first game Sunday, scoring seven runs in the second and six in the fifth to cruise to a 14-run victory.
Tanner Sears and Grant Victor each picked up three hits to lead the Central bats including three RBI for Sears. Cole Luedeking, Robbie Merced, Jeff Vance, and Logan McDonald all collected two hits apiece. Luedeking drove in four runners including a three-run home run to left field in the fifth inning.
Vance and Merced added to the offense with two RBI each, including an RBI triple from Vance to center field in the second inning.
Overall, the CMU bats drove in 15 total runs on 15 hits and drew seven walks.
Senior ace Nick Merkel was masterful on the bump, as the Spokane, Wash. native pitched six complete innings and gave up no runs on six hits with nine strikeouts. Brandon Tyler came in relief for the final inning of work to preserve the victory.
CMU closed the series out in game four with a 5-1 victory in the finale. Merced put Central on the board with a solo shot to right field, his nation leading 18th home run of the 2022 season.
The Eagles answered Evangel's run in the third with four of their own, courtesy of RBI singles from Tommaso Giarola and Jeff Vance, and a two-run home run to left center from Sears. Both sides remained scoreless through the final three and a half innings, as Central went on to earn the series sweep.
CMU's pitching staff held Evangel to a combined one run on five hits and two walks. Ryan Jeffers got the start on the bump, tossing two innings and giving up one earned run with three strikeouts. Tyler Vicars tossed the next three innings and earned the win after throwing four K's.
Nino Puckett and Drew Marrufo each pitched an inning to preserve the win.
The Eagles will next face Baker University for a four game series March 26-27 in Baldwin City, Kan.
#TakeFlight
