Evangels Split Doubleheader With Bacone

Z Tipton had four hits and Tanner Ward drove in four runs to lead the Mid-America Christian University Evangels to an 11-6 victory over the Bacone College Warriors in the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 19) at James Curtis Field. The Warriors bested the Evangels 14-5 in the opener.

The Evangels had to rally in the nightcap after RBI singles by Kyle Pietryga and Peter Rodriguez made it 2-0 in the top of the first.

It was a 3-1 deficit when the Evangels tied it with two in the fourth, grabbed the lead with two more in the fifth and then exploded for six runs in the sixth.

Run-scoring singles by Tipton and Carlsward pulled the Evangels even, before RBI hits from Dustin Carlsward and Ward put MACU on top 5-3 after five.

Tipton tripled to lead off the sixth and scored on a single by Kory Palmer before Ward came up and delivered the big hit of the inning, a bases clearing double that scored Bryan McKissick, Trent Daniels and Taylor Daniels.

After the Warriors plated three runs in the seventh and had the bases loaded, reliever Brett Lamb struck out the side to end the threat and close out the victory.

In the opener the Evangels took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a balk by Bacone starter Kydani Ortiz in the first inning.

But the Warriors tied it with a run in the second and grabbed the lead as a two-run single by Tony Mendez keyed a three-run third inning.

The Warriors then blew the game open when Rodriguez doubled home two runs and scored to cap a five-run fifth inning.

Tipton had an RBI double and Jake Magness delivered a run-scoring single in a three-run seventh for the Evangels.

Tipton sparked the Evangels with a 2-of-4 effort at the plate with two RBI in the second game and Magness was also 2-of-4 with one run driven in.

Weather permitting, the Evangels are next scheduled to host York College for a four-game series with a doubleheader starting Friday afternoon (Feb. 22) at 12:30 p.m.