The second-seeded Central Methodist baseball team escaped the first round of the Fayette Bracket of the NAIA National Tournament with come-from-behind win in extra innings, 6-7, over third-seeded Tabor (Kan.) on Monday. 

The game started two hours late because of forecasted weather and was later delayed for about three hours due to lightning and rain in the afternoon. Central finally won when a hit batter with the bases loaded sent home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th.

The Eagles won the right to host the first two rounds of the tournament. Monday’s win advanced Central to face top-seeded Hope International University on Tuesday after the Advertiser went to press.

Central found itself down by four runs when the game was stopped for a weather delay. Tabor scored all four runs in the top of the second on four singles and a double, aided by a CMU error and a wild pitch from Eagle starter Clayton Burke.

Burke delivered the final out of the inning with a pickoff at first base of Tabor leadoff batter Tyler Lloyd.

Three hours later, Burke was back on the mound, facing a four-run deficit. He buckled down and delivered four scoreless innings before surrendering a final run in the top of the seventh.

The Central offense, meanwhile, plated five runs over three innings to allow Burke to be relieved with a lead. The Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the third on a single by Tanner Sears, a double by Jeremy Conforti, and a sacrifice fly from Carlos Negron. Tabor also committed two errors in the inning.

CMU made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fourth when Bobby Nichols drove in David Soriano with a two-out double to right field.

The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. After leading off with a single, Sears advanced to third on a two-base hit from Negron and scored the tying run on a single by Conforti.

Central took its first lead of the game when Joseph Weatherford singled to center, scoring Conforti from second base.

Tabor picked up an unearned run in the top of the seventh on a throwing error. But the Eagles answered in the bottom of the inning. Tabor made a pitching change with the bases loaded. The new arm didn’t seem to make a difference. In the first at-bat, Nichols blasted a hard-hit ground ball to the third baseman for an infield hit that scored Conforti from third.

With the teams separated by one run, Tabor evened the score with a two-out solo blast in the top of the eighth by Jackie Jimenez.

Neither team scored in the ninth, sending the already delayed game into extra innings tied at 6-6.

Senior right-hander Marcus Pritchard held Tabor scoreless in the top of the 10th. He allowed one hit but bookended the half-inning with swinging strikeouts.

Tabor reliever Sergio Gutierrez would not fare as well. He issued two walks to start the bottom half of the inning. Both moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Negron. He then gave a free pass to Conforti to load the bases with one out with the hope of setting up a double-play situation.

But the Tabor defense wouldn’t get the chance for a twin killing. Gutierrez hit the next batter, Central left fielder Zeb Wede, to surrender the game-winning run.

Despite a cold start, Central drove in all seven runs on 12 hits and 10 walks, with extra-base hits by Nichols, Valentin Cerna, Jr., Negron, and Conforti. Nichols, Sears, Conforti, and Diego Da Rin finished with two hits apiece. Nichols and Conforti each drove in two runners.

Following the weather delay, Burke dialed in a solid performance. The junior righty allowed five runs (3 earned) on 10 hits and retired seven batters on strikes in 6.1 innings to earn the win on the mound.

Right-handed senior Larry Riddle, Jr. allowed one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts and the pitching staff’s only walk of the day in 2.2 innings of relief. Prichard then cleaned up, allowing one hit while striking out two of four batters faced in the 10th.

Tabor righty Payton Tinkler took the loss, allowing five runs (2 earned) on 10 hits with four strikeouts and two walks. He allowed four walks over the first five innings. Relievers Garrick Levesque and Sergio Gutierrez issued a combined eight walks in the final four innings. Levesque gave up one earned run on one hit in 1.2 innings of work. Gutierrez surrounded the winning run on a hit batsman in the 10th. He walked five batters in 2.2 innings and allowed one hit.

Tabor racked up 14 hits, with doubles by Cody Moore and Mikey Acosta and a home run from Jackie Jimenez.

The Eagles (44-9) faced the winner of Monday’s nightcap, Hope International, in the second game on Tuesday after the Advertiser had gone to press. A win Tuesday would advance Central to the Opening Round Championship game today (Wednesday) in a quest for an NAIA World Series berth.