Fayette, Mo. - The No. 22 Central Methodist Baseball team began the Show Me Showdown with a pair of wins, including a 10-2 win over No. 10 Missouri Baptist Friday night.
In their first game of the tournament, the Eagles defeated Olivet Nazarene University, 10-3.
Against the Tigers Thursday, Central found themselves tied at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Eagles jumped in front with four runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Carlos Negron.
Olivet plated a run in the sixth to cut the lead in half, 6-3, but CMU's bats remained hot in the following half inning. With two outs, the Eagles loaded the bases which then brought Tanner Sears to the plate.
On the first pitch of the at-bat, Sears hit a grand slam to left field to clear the bases and put the game away, 10-3.
Ray Ochoa got the start on the bump, throwing four complete innings and giving up two earned runs on on five hits with three strikeouts.
Alexander Billo earned his first win of the year, coming in for an inning of work in the fifth. Landon Winningham and Justin Stedry each pitched an inning as well.
Negron and Joseph Weatherford each picked up two hits, which included Negron's two-run double in the fifth. Valentin Cerna Jr., Zeb Wede, and Diego Da Rin also drove in runs for the Eagles.
Central then turned their attention to a Top 25 showdown against No. 10 Missouri Baptist Friday night.
Sebastian Escobar stifled the Spartans' bats, tossing six complete innings and allowing just one earned run on four hits. He also matched his career-high with 11 strikeouts in the win.
Negron had a monster game at the plate, as he batted a perfect four-for-four with a home run and a double, all while driving in three RBI and crossing the plate three times himself.
Zeb Wede drove in three runs. He singled to left in the bottom of the fifth to score two and then hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Central now stands at 10-2 and will have Saturday off before hosting (RV) Oklahoma City and (RV) Columbia College for games beginning at 12:00 p.m. Sunday at Estes Field.
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