Benedictine Mesa Baseball fell in their season opener to MidAmerica Nazarene, losing 16-4 on Thursday night.
In the first inning, Benedictine struggled to generate offense, with Jack Moore popping up to second base, Carlos Parra grounding out, and Alec Larson also popping up to second, resulting in no hits and no runs. MNU faced a similar fate in their half of the inning, managing only one single before hitting into a double play to end the frame.
The second inning saw Ben Schnuman walk for BENU Mesa, but he was unable to advance as Oliver Davies struck out and Ivan Santos reached on a fielder's choice. Jacob Bauler also walked, but the inning ended without any runs. MNU had a quiet third inning, recording no hits and one error.
In the bottom of the third, Mesa managed to get on base with a single from Carlos Parra, but they couldn't capitalize, as Cooper Jeffries struck out and Alec Larson popped up, leaving them scoreless. The fourth inning proved challenging, as MNU's offense found its rhythm and scored two runs, while the Redhawks failed to respond, with only one player reaching base.
The fifth inning marked another tough frame for BENU Mesa. After Ethan Graham grounded out and Cooper Jeffries struck out, Jack Moore singled, and Parra walked. Larson came through with a single to drive in one run, but the team left two on base, unable to fully capitalize on the scoring opportunity. MNU, on the other hand, exploded for four runs in their half of the inning, extending their lead to 6-1.
Benedictine's offense showed signs of life in the sixth inning, with Joseph Cosenza doubling and Bauler driving him in with a single. However, they struggled to sustain momentum. The team managed another run in the bottom of the sixth, bringing the score to 6-2, but MNU continued to build their lead.
Despite a strong ninth-inning effort, where Benedictine's offense began to find its rhythm with Moore and Parra reaching base, Larson's double brought in two runs. Unfortunately, the team was unable to overcome the deficit, and the game ended with a final score of 16-4 in favor of MNU.
Key Performers:
Up Next:Â The Redhawks will return to the field on Friday, January 24th, as they take on Taylor University at home at 6 PM.
