WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons found a way to win two different ways today (Mar. 22) over the Avila University Eagles, scoring 12 runs in a 12-3 victory in the opening game and then riding a pitching masterpiece from Francisco Moscoso to win 1-0 in the nightcap to finish off a three-game series sweep at Westside Athletic Field.
The Falcons have now won 10 of their last 11 games and move to 16-13 overall and 11-8 in the KCAC.
Unlike yesterday when the Eagles took two separate four-run leads, the Falcons jumped on top early in the first game when Isaias Urriola doubled home two runs to key a three-run first inning.
The Eagles answered back in the fourth, getting RBI singles from Thomas English, Rusten Traxler and JJ Stubblefield to tie the score at 3-3.
It was all Falcons from there, as run-scoring singles by Miles Hartman and Niquan Benjamin in the fourth put Friends on top stay and Tyler Godfrey sparked a three-run fifth with a two-run triple to make it 8-3.
Carlos Rodriguez and Melwin Perez then singled in runs in the sixth before an RBI single by Spencer Davidson in the eighth closed out the big offensive showing for the Falcons.
Urriola went 3-of-5 for Friends, with Benjamin, Rodriguez, Godfrey, Bernie Socarras and Zeke Henson each contributing two hits to the Falcons' 17-hit attack in the first game victory.
Jaime Baldwin started for the Falcons and gave up three runs with three strikeouts across five innings, while Matthew Benton followed and tossed three scoreless frames to earn the win. Vincent Vigil and Gonzolo Armas each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the win.
Moscoso made sure the Falcons didn't need all the runs they scored in the first game with a sterling performance on the mound, blanking the Eagles with 10 strikeouts and walking eight with just three hits allowed in seven innings.
The Falcons scored the only run of the game when Rodriguez plated Benjamin with a single in the bottom of the first.
Thomas Ringer was also solid for Avila (10-17, 7-11 KCAC), giving up just the one run on five hits with two strikeouts in six innings.
"Starting pitching was solid in all three games and our bullpen guys did a nice job when called on," said Friends baseball head coach Adam Neisius. "Offensively I thought we had quality at bats most of the weekend. Good home series for us, we've been playing pretty well the last couple of weeks."
The Falcons will next play at No. 18-ranked Mid-America Christian University in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 25) at 3 pm in Oklahoma City, Okla.
