KCAC

[Baseball] Baseball Falcons earn split at Sterling

Sterling, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons slugged their way to a 12-2 win over the Sterling College Warriors in the first of two today (Apr. 22) in Sterling, Kan. The Warriors then managed to win a pitcher's duel 2-1 in the nightcap.The combo of Pablo Oden (SR/Hollywood, Fla.) and Zeke Henson (SO/Raymore, Mo. ) each drove in five runs to power the Falcons to the game one victory.Tied 1-1 in the fifth, Henson singled home two runs to put the Falcons on top before scoring on a base hit by Oden.Henson and Caleb Coats (SO/Katy, Texas) then scored on another single from Oden that pushed the Falcon lead to 6-1 in the seventh inning.Following an RBI single from Luis Morales that scored the Warriors' second run, a two-run single by Henson and a two-run double by Oden broke the game open in the eighth.Henson wasn't done and singled in Sam Engberg (JR/Kearney, Neb. ) in the ninth inning before courtesy runner Melwin Perez (SO/San Sebastian, Puerto Rico) was chased home on a single by Buster Hardman (JR/American Fork, Utah) to finish off the big win for the Falcons.  In addition to their RBI production, Henson and Oden each had four hits for the Falcons in the opening tilt.  Dakota Harding (JR/Wichita, Kan.) went 3-of-5, while Engberg had two hits with three runs scored and Hardman went 2-of-4.Morales also went 2-of-4 for the Warriors.Matthew Benton (SO/Hobart, Ind.) turned in another quality start for Friends, going seven innings with just one earned run allowed along with a career-high seven strikeouts. Benton has now surrendered just three earned runs in his last 19 2/3 innings on the mound.Morales then scored the first run of the second game before hitting an RBI single in the second inning for an early 2-0 Warriors lead.That would be all the runs that Sterling starter Chris Isaac would need, as he allowed just a sacrifice fly by Henson in the sixth over a seven-inning complete game win. Isaac struck out six, walked three and gave up five hits.Matt Postier (SO/Wichita, Kan.) followed starter Jackson Powell (FR/Lufkin, Texas) and kept the Warriors off the scoreboard for 4.1 hitless innings, striking out five and walking just one for the Falcons.Weather permitting; the Falcons are next scheduled to host (RV) Mid-America Christian University Tuesday afternoon starting at 4 pm at West Side Athletic Field.