Fayette, Mo. - The No. 6 Central Methodist Baseball program completed a four-game series sweep against Mount Mercy this past weekend at Estes Field. 

Central now stands to 25-4 and 11-1 in the Heart of America. Mount Mercy falls to 12-14 and 8-4 in conference action. 

Game 1: No. 6 CMU 3 - Mount Mercy 2

The opener of the four-game series was a pitcher's duel, as both pitching staffs allowed just one run through the first six innings of play.

Central struck first in the bottom of the first on a bases loaded walk from Bobby Nichols. The Eagles appeared to be headed for a shut out, before Mount Mercy plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning. 

CMU would respond in the bottom half of the seventh beginning with an RBI-single to right field from Valentin Cerna Jr. to score Peyton Becker from third. 

Back-to-back from singles from Tanner Sears and Carlos Negron once again loaded the bases for Central. Jeremy Conforti ended the game with a walkoff sacrifice fly to left field to score Cerna Jr., and giving CMU the 3-2 win. 

Sebastian Escobar got the start on the bump for the Eagles, tossing five and two thirds innings. He gave up just three hits and three walks while striking out a pair of batters. 

Larry Riddle Jr. came in relief for the final inning and a third, striking out two batters and collecting his third win of the year. 

Game 2: No. 6 CMU 2 - Mount Mercy 0

Junior pitcher Clayton Burke set the tone in game four, as the native of Portland, Oregon threw seven scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and a walk. He struck out a career-high 10 batters en route to his sixth victory of the year. 

Central scored its lone two runs of the game on a two-run home run from Joseph Weatherford in the bottom of the fourth inning. Weatherford also picked up a double in the second inning to lead the Eagle bats. 

Game 3: No. 6 CMU 4 - Mount Mercy 3

After scoring in the bottom of the first inning on a passed ball, the Eagles found themselves trailing 3-1 at the conclusion of the top of the third. 

Central would rally in the bottom of the sixth, plating three runs on three hits. After retiring the first batter, Mount Mercy's pitcher gave up three consecutive hits, including back-to-back singles from Cerna Jr. and Sears. 

Negron then stepped to the plate and smashed a three-run home run to left center to put Central out in front 4-3. 

Game three starter Foster Seitz retired the side in order in the top of the seventh, securing CMU's third win of the series. Altogether, he struck out eight batters to pick up his sixth win of the year. 

Game 4: No. 6 CMU 5 - Mount Mercy 4

The finale featured more later inning drama in the sixth and seventh innings. CMU was cruising in the beginning and middle stages of the game, as Central plated a pair of runs in the first inning as well as runs in the fourth and fifth innings. 

Leading 4-0 entering the top of the sixth, Central ran into trouble as Mount Mercy tied the game with four runs on three hits. The inning was highlighted by a grand slam to left field to clear the bases and tie the game at 4-4. 

But as they have done all series, the Eagles remained resilient. On the second pitch of the first at bat of the seventh, Nichols crushed a walk off solo home run to win the game for the Eagles, 5-4. It marked Nichols' fifth home run of 2024. 

Central finished the game scoring five runs on eight hits, including home runs for Nichols, Negron, and Cerna Jr. 

Ray Ochoa got the start on the bump, throwing 5.2 innings and striking out seven. Alexander Billo and Marcus Pritchard each threw two thirds of an inning, with Pritchard earning his first win of the year. 

Up Next:

The Eagles remain at home to host No. 24 MidAmerica Nazarene University for a four-game weekend series beginning Friday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. at Estes Field. 

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