Wichita, Kan. – Friends University baseball welcomed Graceland University for two seven-inning doubleheader games at Westside Field. The Falcons had not played a regular-season game since (Jan. 22) due to weather canceling a series against USAO.

Graceland looked to start the year strong, as these games marked their first of the season. The Yellowjackets finished under .500 last year with a 16-32 record.

Game 1

The start of the doubleheader did not go in the Falcons' favor whatsoever. In just the first inning, the Yellowjackets of Graceland scored 10 runs. With plenty of hard-hit balls and some wild pitching from the Falcons, Graceland was able to hit both a grand slam and a three-run home run in the top half of the inning.

Friends showed some fight in the bottom of the first inning. Elijah Morales hit a three-run shot to cut the lead to seven. This marked Morales' first career home run for the Falcons, as well as the team's first of the season.

Lyonel Barthelemy would score in the bottom of the second inning on a balk to make the score 10-4 going into the third.

Graceland's bats did not let up against Falcon pitching, however. The Yellowjackets added four more runs to bring their lead back to 10 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Friends continued chipping away at the lead, scoring one run in each of innings four through six. Bernie Socarras scored on a double steal, Drew Lykes recorded an RBI single, and Miles Hartman hit a solo home run to make the score 14–7.

Unfortunately, that would be the final scoring for the Falcons, as they dropped the opener to Graceland, 19–7.

Game 2


Corey Crumrine got the start for the Falcons. The freshman from Sedgwick, Kansas, delivered a strong first two innings, something the Falcons were looking for after the disastrous start in game one. Crumrine finished with four strikeouts over 3.2 innings pitched.

The Yellowjackets' recipe for success in game two was two-out hitting. Graceland built an eight-run lead going into the fifth inning. Colton Flores would end the Yellowjackets' shutout bid by hitting an RBI double.

The bright spot of the day for the Falcons was leadoff hitter Miles Hartman. Hartman crushed a two-run home run to earn his second of the day making the score 10-3. Hartman has already surpassed his home run total from last season. In the four games Hartman has played, he has recorded seven hits in 15 at-bats for a .467 batting average. He has emerged as an early leader for the Falcons in both hits and RBIs. Friends would drop game 2 10-3, but have a chance tomorrow to battle back. 
 

The Falcons will face Graceland again tomorrow in another doubleheader as they look to split the four-game series. The first game will be a nine-inning contest at noon, followed by a seven-inning game. All games will take place at Westside Athletic Field in Wichita.