Salina, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons opened postseason play on Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 29) falling to McPherson College, 7-3. This was the first round of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Baseball Tournament at Dean Evans Stadium.
The KCAC Tournament marks the beginning of the postseason, bringing together the top teams from the conference to compete for an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.
Friends struck first in the second inning, as Drew Lykes came around to score on a passed ball to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
McPherson responded in the third inning with four runs, using timely hitting to take control of the game. The Bulldogs added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to extend their lead to 6-1.
The Falcons mounted a push in the seventh inning when Holden Sabor delivered a two-RBI double, scoring Hayden Carbone and Bernie Socarras to cut the deficit to 6-3.
McPherson added an insurance run in the ninth inning on a solo home run to secure the 7-3 victory.
Offensively, Friends tallied seven hits, with Drew Lykes leading the way with a pair of hits. Sabor drove in both of the Falcons' RBIs, while Socarras reached base and scored in the seventh-inning rally.
On the mound, Seth Wright took the loss after allowing five runs in three innings. Barrett Froehler provided a solid relief effort, tossing five innings and allowing just one run to keep the Falcons within reach.
With the loss, Friends moves into the elimination bracket of the KCAC Tournament, where they will look to continue their postseason run. The Falcons have a long way to go but they are still in it. The Falcons will get back at it tomorrow (Apr. 30) against York with the first pitch at 3:30 PM.
