FAYETTE, Mo. - Central Methodist University baseball team lost a pair of Heart of America Athletic Conference games Tuesday to Avila University. Avila rallied for an 8-6 win in game one, before earning a 10-6 win in game two.
In game one, CMU took an early 2-0 lead after two innings. In the first inning CMU scored when junior Adam Arnette (Pacific, Mo.) tripled and Dane Frazier (Mattawan, Mich.) singled to left field to drive in Arnette. CMU added another run on a solo homerun by junior Jeremy Middendorf (St. Charles, Mo.) in the bottom of the second.
The score remained 2-0 until the top of the sixth inning when Avila scored four runs. Avila took advantage of two infield errors by CMU, and recorded four hits to take a 4-2 lead in the inning. Central Methodist answered in the bottom half of the sixth. Junior Thomas Brown (Columbia, Mo.) led off with a single to left, and Arnette followed with a two-run homerun to tie the game at 4-4. In the top of the seventh, Avila got four singles, and took advantage of another CMU error to score four runs and take an 8-4 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Brennen Wood (West Plains, Mo.) doubled down the left-field line, and senior Cory Cowsert (Pacific, Mo.) hit a two-run homerun to center field on the first pitch he saw. CMU was unable to continue its rally, as Avila ended the game with a fly-out.
Battling rain throughout the second game, Avila jumped out to a 7-0 lead, before CMU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Bryant Jackson (Lee's Summit, Mo.) led-off the inning with a bunt single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brown followed with a double down the left field line to score Jackson. Brown advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored when Arnette singled to left. Arnette came around to score on a single to shallow left by sophomore Derrick Pledger (Clarksville, Ark.). Avila got out of the inning with a 7-3 lead.
Avila answered CMU in the top of the sixth as the first five batters got hits, including a two-run homerun, to score three runs. Trailing 10-3 in the bottom of the seventh, junior Matt Henton (St. Joseph, Mo.) singled to lead off the inning and Arnette reached on a walk. Henton came around to score on a single to right-center by Middendorf. Pledger followed with a single to score Arnette, and Middendorf scored when junior Tyler Belt (Macon, Mo.) grounded out to second. Avila got another ground-out to end the game and seal the 10-6 win.
CMU dropped to 3-6 overall and 2-2 in the HAAC with the losses, while Avila improved to 12-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference. Central Methodist will return to action with a HAAC doubleheader at Benedictine College Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. in Atchison, Kan.
