WICHITA, Kan. – Friends University senior catcher Carlos Rodriguez lined a single to center field to score Bernie Socarras and propel the Falcons to a dramatic 7-6 victory over the Avila University Eagles in the series opener today (Mar. 21) at Westside Athletic Field.
Trailing 6-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Nijai Armbrister singled to lead off the inning before being retired on a fielder's choice. That would be the last out of the frame, as Niquan Benjamin doubled and Socarras doubled in Miles Hartman and Benjamin to tie the score.
Following an intentional walk to Zeke Henson, Rodriguez hit the 1-2 pitch into center to easily plate Socarras to ignite a Falcon celebration.
The Falcons faced a pair of four-run deficits when a two-run homer by Zach Dillman and consecutive RBI doubles from Will Clark and Thomas English made it 4-0 Avila in the first.
Before the duo connected in the ninth, Rodriguez also plated Socarras with an RBI single in the bottom of the first to get the Falcons on the board.
Zeke Henson then hit his eighth homer of the season in the third to bring Friends within 4-2.
After the Eagles scored a run in the fourth and sixth inning to again lead by four runs, Benjamin came through with a two-run single that plated both Armbrister and Spencer Davidson in the bottom of the seventh to once more cut the Eagle lead in half.
Cameron Chase allowed four runs in the first, but settled in to give up just two more runs over his next five frames while striking out three and walking three. Carson Schwiethale then blanked the Eagles over the next three innings to earn his first career victory.
Cashen Schranz started for Avila and surrendered four runs with six strikeouts during his 6.1 innings on the mound.
Rodriguez and Benjamin each went 3-of-5 with two RBIs for the Falcons (14-13, 9-8 KCAC) and Socarras also drove in a pair of runs with two hits. Friends also got two hits from Davidson, Armbrister and Tyler Godfrey.
Clark went 3-of-5 for the Eagles (10-15, 7-10 KCAC) and Dillman drove in three runs.
The Falcons and Eagles will conclude the three-game weekend series with a doubleheader tomorrow (Mar. 22) starting at noon.
