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Central’s Merced breaks single-season home run record

Sophomore’s 21st highlights dismal weekend for Eagles

Posted 4/20/22

The No. 9 Central Methodist baseball team hosted MidAmerica Nazarene University for a four-game series this weekend at Estes Field. The set of games also marked senior weekend for the Eagles and the …

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Central’s Merced breaks single-season home run record

Sophomore’s 21st highlights dismal weekend for Eagles

Posted

The No. 9 Central Methodist baseball team hosted MidAmerica Nazarene University for a four-game series this weekend at Estes Field. The set of games also marked senior weekend for the Eagles and the final regular-season home games. The two teams split the games on Friday with identical 2-1 scores in both games. Saturday was not as productive for the Eagles as the Pioneers took the first game 7-4 and the second 11-6, giving MidAmerica Nazarene the series win.

CMU falls to 31-10 overall and 17-7 in conference play, while MNU improved to 25-14 and 18-6 in the Heart. MidAmerica Nazarene also claims the top spot in the Heart South Division standings with a .750 winning percentage. 

Aside from senior recognition following the second game on Saturday, the highlight of the day was junior Robbie Merced’s two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh of the second game. The shot marked Merced’s 21st home run of the year making him the single-season home run leader for Central. Merced has appeared in 41 games during the 2022 campaign and had 161 plate appearances. He has also walked 31 times. 

 

Friday Game 1

MNU-2

CMU-1

Both teams remained scoreless in game one before MNU broke the deadlock in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run to right field. Central then cut the deficit in half when sophomore Bobby Nichols singled to score sophomore pinch-runner Gannon Ruckman in the bottom of the seventh. The Pioneers then held off CMU for the final out on a fielder's choice to earn a 2-1 victory. 

The Eagle offense finished game one with seven total hits compared to one for the Pioneers. But Central left seven runners on base, which proved to be the difference-maker. 

Senior ace Nick Merkel was nearly perfect on the mound, throwing a complete game and giving up just one hit with eight strikeouts. Merkel had a no-hitter going through the first five innings of play before the home run broke up the bid in the sixth to give MNU the lead.

Bobby Nichols led Central’s offensive attack, going 2-for-4 and driving in Central’s lone run. Nichols, along with freshman Tanner Sears, junior Cole Luedeking, and senior Grant Victor each registered doubles during the game.

Friday Game 2

MNU-1

CMU-2

Central bounced back with a 2-1 victory in game two. The Pioneers jumped out in front in the fourth on an RBI single. CMU answered right back in the bottom half of the frame courtesy of an RBI single from senior catcher Jeff Vance to score Ruckman. 

The Eagles earned the walk-off win on an error by the MNU catcher. Senior left fielder Logan McDonald laid down a sacrifice bunt in an attempt to move courtesy runner sophomore Josh Green to second base. A wild throw from the MNU catcher to first base sent the ball into right field, and Green scampered home for the go-ahead score. 

Vance was the only Eagle to record a multi-hit game with two hits including an RBI single. Merced, Sears, and sophomore Khalil Thrasher all picked up hits for Central as well. 

Senior pitcher Beau Atkins pushed his record to a perfect 6-0, tossing seven complete innings on the mound and allowing only one earned run on seven hits and seven strikeouts. 

Saturday Game 1

MNU-7

CMU-4

MNU claimed victory in the final two games of the series Saturday afternoon. In the first game, the Pioneers scored two runs in the second inning and added two more in the third. 

Central answered back with a four-run third inning to tie the ballgame. But, the Pioneers came back in the top of the sixth and added two more runs to take a 6-4 lead. MNU plated one more run in the top of the seventh before shutting CMU down in the bottom of the frame to claim the 7-4 game-three victory. 

Merced went three-of-four with three singles, an RBI, and a run scored. He and teammate Bobby Nichols also swiped two bases apiece. Logan McDonald recorded a double, while junior Cole Luedeking, Vance, and Thrasher all picked up RBIs. 

Sophomore Sebastian Escobar got the start on the hill, giving up nine hits in the first 4.1 innings. Junior Anthony G. Rodriguez came on in relief for the next 0.2 innings, followed by junior Nino Puckett, who pitched one inning in which he allowed two runs on two hits. Senior Micah Blankenship started the seventh inning but gave way to classmate Felix Pena after giving up three hits. The lefty Pena finished out the game by retiring both batters he faced, striking out one.

Saturday Game 2

MNU-11

CMU-6

The Eagles concluded the series with an 11-6 loss to the Pioneers. Central held a 4-3 lead after two innings but MNU added four more in the top of the third, then tacked on two more in the fifth and two more in the top of the seventh while holding Central scoreless after the second, making the score 11-4. Finally in the bottom of the seventh, Central broke through again after Nichols doubled down the right-field line and advanced to third on a passed ball. Merced then hit his record-breaking home run to make the score 11-6. MNU retired the next batter to end the game.

Nichols and Luedeking paced Eagle hitters with two hits apiece. Nichols and Merced had the only extra-base hits of the game for Central with Nichols notching a double, and Merced a home run.

Merced’s home run was his 21st of the season which broke the single-season record held by both Logan Haring and Sergio Macias set in 2020.

Junior lefty Ryan Jeffers took the loss on the mound, throwing 2.1 innings and giving up four earned runs. Classmate Tyler Vicars pitched 1.2 innings, giving up five earned runs before giving way to Pena to start the fifth. Pena retired the side after giving up a hit, a walk, and striking out one.

Senior Drew Marrufo pitched the sixth and got two outs in the seventh before sophomore Brandon came on in relief to finish the last inning with a strikeout.

Central made the short trip to Columbia to face Columbia College for a single nine-inning game on Tuesday after The Advertiser went to press and will play a four-game set against Park on Saturday and Sunday in Parkville, Missouri. The Eagles will conclude the regular season in Atchison, Kansas against Benedictine on April 29 and 30.

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