SC Baseball Season Ends with Win at McPherson

McPherson, Kan. – Sterling closed out the season just missing a chance at the KCAC postseason tournament. Their final series played was against the McPherson College Bulldogs who were looking to solidify their spot in the postseason. The Warriors lost the first two games of the series as they were trying to get the series in before inclement weather caused them to stop the games short. They played two games Friday and one on Saturday. Games one and two went to the Bulldogs 16-6 and 15-14, before SC got things rolling on Saturday and came away with a 9-5 win.

Game 1 – Sterling 6, Mac 16 – 8 Innings

Sterling tried their best to get on top of the Bulldogs early scoring four runs in the second inning. Tyler Gates hit his first and only homerun of the season, a grand slam that sent the Warrior offense in motion. McPherson's high powered offense answered back with four runs in the bottom of the inning on a pair of two-run homeruns. McPherson homered again in the third, this time a solo shot, taking a 5-4 lead. Sterling regained the lead on an Albert Bisono triple that scored two runs. That was it for Sterling's scoring in the game, but was just the start for McPherson as they scored two in the fifth, six in the sixth, and three more in the eighth shortening the game to eight innings due to run-rule.

Luis Morales saw the ball well accruing four hits in the game. Gates' four RBIs led the way for the Warriors. Andrew Dutro added two hits as well. Trent Canaan started on the mound for Sterling, going five and two-thirds innings, giving up 13 runs on twelve hits. Ryan Speer made a relief appearance pitching five outs and giving up three runs.

Game 2 – Sterling 14, Mac 15 – 8 Innings

A mid-game run surge kept Sterling in the second game of the weekend series. Mac took the lead early scoring seven total runs in the first and second innings. Sterling got on the board with two runs in the third inning, but McPherson matched that output in the bottom of the inning. The Warriors finally made progress when they scored six runs in the fourth to cut into the Bulldog lead. A pair of three-run homeruns by Imanol Rafael Ramos and Dutro brought Sterling to within one at 9-8. The homerun by Ramos is his first and only homerun so far as a Warrior. Sterling took their only lead of the game with six more runs in the fifth. The big hit was a base-clearing double by Nicholas Keller that gave Sterling a 14-9 lead. The lead was shortlived, however, as McPherson scored five runs in the bottom of the inning and tied the game at 14. The score remained the same through the seven innings of regulation before the tie was broken on a suicide squeeze play in the bottom of the eighth.

Austin Santiago had three hits for Sterling and Dutro had two. Ramos and Dutro each had 3 RBIs for the Warriors. Cipriano Rivera started the game for SC and pitched an inning and two-thirds giving up seven runs. With the comeback by Sterling, Rivera did not take the loss. Tyler Duffey was the reliever who came in and pitched five and two-thirds allowing 8 runs. Duffey took the loss.

Game 3 – Sterling 9, Mac 5

Sterling finally broke into the win column in game three of the series. They scored two in the top of the first to get things started on a two RBI single off the bat of Dutro. Mac answered right back with three runs in the first. Sterling scored another run in the third, and gave up another as well. SC trailed 4-3 after three innings. The difference in the game for the Warriors came in the fourth when Sterling scored five runs. A couple of two RBI singles by Keller and Santiago scored the first four runs and another Dutro homerun scored the fifth. Sterling took an 8-4 lead that they would not relinquish. SC tacked on another security run in the fifth, and Mac scored one more as well. Sterling closed out their season with a 9-5 win over the Bulldogs.

Santiago and Dutro led Sterling with three RBIs and two hits each. Keller made the most of his at bats knocking in two runs and scoring three times after getting on base three times with one hit and two walks. James Easter knocked in a run and scored a run as well. David Lira pitched five innings and gave up five runs while striking out six. He earned the win in the game. Kimo Kawelo pitched the final inning allowing no hits and striking out one.

As the season comes to a close, Sterling finished with a 20-28 record with a 14-22 record in KCAC competition. They finished ninth in the conference standings, just missing the KCAC tournament by two games.

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