Joplin, Mo. - The Central Methodist Baseball program fell in a pair of games at the Joplin Invitational last weekend in Joplin, Mo.
The Eagles fell to Hastings in the opener, 4-3, followed by a 5-3 loss to Concordia (Neb.) in the finale.
Central jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Hastings in the top of the second inning via an error by the Broncos' shortstop. Hastings responded with four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-2 lead over the Eagles.
Central chipped away at the lead with a run in the fifth, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Tanner Sears that scored Jeremy Conforti from third. That was all the Central bats could come up with, as the Broncos held on for the one-run victory.
Conforti led the Central bats, batting two-of-four. Sears, Khalil Thrasher, Joseph Weatherford, Alan West and Kaden Doan all picked up hits for CMU, including doubles for both West and Weatherford.
Clayton Burke got the start on the bump, tossing three complete innings and giving up four earned runs on seven hits. He also recorded three strikeouts. Alfred Ulloa and Justin Guzman also saw action, as the pair gave up just one hit combined through the final three innings of work.
Against Concordia in the finale, both teams were even at 3-3 entering the top of the seventh inning. However, the Bulldogs would plate two runs on back-to-back doubles to take a 5-3 lead.
CMU was unable to answer in the bottom half of the inning, as Concordia went on to win by two runs.
Conforti picked up two hits in four at-bats, while Doan drove in two runners, the first being an RBI single followed by a sacrfice fly.
West pitched five complete innings, giving up three runs with two being earned, on five hits. He also struck out eight batters.
Sebastian Escobar came in relief for the final two innings, striking out three batters and giving up two earned runs on five hits.
The Eagles are now 5-5 and will host Missouri Baptist and Jamestown for a weekend triangular beginning Friday, Feb. 24 at 12:00 p.m. at Estes Field. It will mark the first varsity contest at the newly renovated Estes Field.
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