Mustangs Survive and Advance in AMC Baseball Tournament

Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director

            O'Fallon, Mo. – After winning twice in comeback fashion on day one of the American Midwest Conference Baseball Tournament, the Central Baptist College Mustangs looked to move through the winner's bracket again, this time against the Cougars of Columbia College. CBC (24-27) lost to Columbia (36-13) 8-2 in game one before eliminating Williams Baptist (24-27) 6-5 to move into the semifinals.

GAME ONE – COLUMBIA 8, CBC 2

            Columbia tallied their eight runs with one in the first, two in the fifth and five in the seventh. The lone runs for CBC came on a sac fly by Gabe Walker and a ground rule double by Kyle Bass in the ninth. Gram Middleton started and went the first six-and-one-third, allowing 10 hits and eight runs with five Ks. Ben Slate pitched the final one-and-two-thirds, allowing just one hit.

GAME TWO – CBC 6, WBU 5

            For the second straight season, CBC sent the Eagles out of the AMC Tournament. The Mustangs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to an RBI double by Walker and a run scoring single by Nick Aide. Another single by Aide made it 3-0 in the first before WBU did all their scoring in the second. The Mustangs fought their way back, anchored by seven scoreless innings of five hit baseball from the bullpen. The comeback started when Walker drove in a run on a groundout in the fourth to make it 5-4. Ruben Hernandez's second home run of the AMC Tournament tied the game at five in the eighth and Nick Aide drove in the game winning run in the ninth with an RBI single. Christian Zincke started and pitched the first two innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on three hits with three walks and a strikeout. Landon Hitchcock pitched the next two innings, allowing just two hits and a walk with two Ks. Julio Escobar got his first career win, throwing four innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out four and Mason Sellers picked up his second save with a perfect ninth including a strikeout.

UP NEXT

            CBC will play in another elimination game tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Lyon.