2021 Avista NAIA World Series – Game 16 Recap

Merkel tosses gem in win for Eagles

FINAL SCORE

No. 2 Central Methodist (Mo.) def. No. 3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 8-5 | Box Score

Central Methodist advances to play on Thursday in the Championship Round

Lewis-Clark State has been eliminated from play

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS

• Brock Ephan gave the Warriors a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The first baseman sent a 1-0 pitch over the high center field wall, his 20^th home run of the season.
• Mason Schwellenbach doubled and scored to get one back for the Eagles in the top of the second to make it a 3-1 advantage for Lewis-Clark State.
• Jack Johnson became the fourth run for the Warriors in the bottom of the second. The left fielder advanced to second on a wild pitch, third on a passed ball, and scored on a single from Dillon Plew.
• With one out and a runner at third, Logan Haring grounded-out to second, which scored Howell, and cut the deficit to 4-2 for the Eagles.
• Central Methodist tied the game in the fourth, thanks to the long ball. Adrian Martinez hit his ninth home run of the year to make it a 4-4 game.
• Three consecutive hits and two consecutive doubles led to the lead for Central Methodist in the seventh. Logan Haring and Sergio Macias doubled in back-to-back at-bats to give the Eagles their first advantage of the day.
• Max McCay followed with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 7-4.
• Sergio Macias gave the Eagles an 8-4 lead with an RBI double in the top of the eighth.
• Entering the game, Macias was tied for seventh in the 2021 series with a .462 batting mark and tied for second in home runs with two.
• Nick Merkel helped to preserve the Central Methodist bullpen and earned the victory on a day where temperatures exceeded 100 degrees. The junior from Spokane, Wash., allowed four runs on seven hits in eight full innings of work with nine strikeouts to his credit. He finished the day with 135 pitches
• Central Methodist, the visitor on the scoreboard represented the 12^th win in 16 games by the visitor on the scoreboard in the 2021 series.

COVERAGE

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