Fayette, Mo. – The No. 6 Central Methodist Baseball program completed a four-game series sweep over Culver-Stockton College on Senior Weekend at Estes Field.
Central took the first two games Thursday by scores of 5-0 and 9-1. The Eagles then won the final two games Saturday by scores of 12-8 and 6-1.
At the conclusion of the series, the program honored its 2024 senior class which included; Bobby Nichols, Dominic VanDoorne, Alexander Billo, Sebastian Escobar, Marcus Pritchard, Larry Riddle Jr., Joseph Weatherford, and Austin Ennis.
Central ends the regular season with an overall record of 42-7 and a 28-4 record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. In addition, with a win in game three, CMU clinched its second-straight Heart Regular Season Championship and its third title in the last four seasons.
Game 1: No. 6 CMU 5 – Culver-Stockton 0
Central shut out the Wildcats in game one, as Clayton Burke threw a complete game shut out with five strikeouts. He picked up his 10th win of the year in the series opener.
Bobby Nichols recorded two hits in three at-bats, including a double and a triple. He also scored two runs. Zeb Wede finished the day batting two-for-four with a solo home run to left field in the third.
Valentin Cerna Jr., Tanner Sears, and Diego Da Rin all drove in a run as well.
Game 2: No. 6 CMU 9 – Culver-Stockton 1
Nichols once again led the offense, batting a perfect four-for-four with a solo home run in the first and totaling three RBI. He also picked up a stolen base and crossed the plate twice.
Wede followed with three hits in four trips to the plate while Sears homered to left in the fourth to score two.
Jeremy Conforti joined the multi-hit club with two hits, including a two RBI single in the first.
Sebastian Escobar got the start on the bump, tossing six complete innings and giving up one earned run on four hits and two walks. He struck out nine batters on his was to his eighth win of the year.
Alexander Billo came in relief in the seventh, keeping Culver off the scoreboard to preserve the 9-1 win.
Game 3: No. 6 CMU 12 – Culver-Stockton 8
The first game on Saturday saw both squads combine for 20 runs on 26 hits.
David Soriano led the Eagle bats with three hits in four plate appearances. He drove in four RBI including a three-run home run to right field in the third.
Joseph Weatherford also recorded a home run in the second.
Altogether, Central’s lineup saw seven different Eagles record multi-hit games.
Larry Riddle Jr. earned the win, coming in relief for Foster Seitz and pitching the final three innings. He gave up just one earned run on one hit and a walk en route to his fifth win of the year.
Game 4: No. 6 CMU 6 – Culver-Stockton 1
Central found themselves trailing 1-0 through the first five complete innings of play in the finale. The Eagles’ offense broke through in the sixth, scoring six runs on six hits.
An RBI single from Peyton Becker scored Carlos Negron from second to tie the game at 1-1. Following a bunt from Wede that turned into a single after reaching base safely, Weatherford moved the runners over to second and third on a sacrifice bunt.
Diego Da Rin was then intentionally walked to load the bases, followed by another walk, this time from Trey Vorwald to put Central out in front, 2-1.
Nichols padded CMU’s lead with a two RBI single to centerfield, scoring both Da Rin and Nick Tampa.
Sears put the finishing touches on the game two batters later, as the junior singled to centerfield to score both Nichols and Vorwald.
Marcus Pritchard had a solid outing in his final regular season home game on the bump. The senior pitched six and two third innings for the Eagles, allowing just one earned run on three hits and a walk. He also struck out eight batters.
Fellow senior Austin Ennis came in relief for the final out, retiring the final Wildcat batter on a fly out to right field.
Up Next:
The Eagles have earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament, set begin Thursday, May 2 in Springfield, Missouri.
