BETHANY, Okla. — The Southern Nazarene University baseball team returned to the diamond Sunday afternoon to kick off the start of their 2022 season as they hosted Newman at Putnam City West High School.
Game 1
The Storm opened Game 1 by getting on the board first as a two-out error by Newman allowed Drake Irby to advance to third, sending Noah Ellis to score SNU's first run of the game.
Later in the bottom of the fourth, Irby singled Johnathan Crist into home, extending SNU's lead to 2-0.
SNU put on quite the show in the 5th inning, scoring six unanswered runs. Newman finally gathered some momentum, sending three in off of a triple and a single, and the score read 8-3 at the top of the 7th.
SNU would score its final run of the game as DJ Van Atten doubled to right field, sending Cole Embrey in for the Storm's ninth run. Newman would hit a double, allowing the Jets to gain one more run, leaving the Storm to take Game 1 of the four-game series with a 9-5 victory.
Sophomore Payne Maga took the win, pitching in 6.2 innings while only giving up two runs in the process. Noah Ellis had a standout game, sending one hit over the fence while getting two runs and two RBI's. Irby was credited with the most hits, tallying 3-4 and bringing in one run. Jonathan Crist and Embrey were big time offensive contributors, adding four runs combined while finishing 1-4 and 1-3 respectively.
Other notables were Colbey Entwistle, who scored a run finishing 2-4, and Van Atten, who also scored a run while sending one across home plate to finish 1-4.
Game 2
The Jets managed to flip the switch, picking up two runs in the top of the second. The Crimson Storm saw nothing in their favor the remainder of the game as Newman snuck two more runs in to close out Game 2 of the series with a final 4-0 reading.
Crist was the highlight of the Storm offense that final game as he finished 2-3 on the night.
Pitcher Triston Graves (L, 0-1) received the start for Game 2, pitching six total innings, tallying five strikeouts and facing 28 batters. Zach Isham came in for the relief, receiving action for one inning while striking out on of six faced batters.
SNU will conclude the second half of the series Monday, February 7th, as they welcome Newman back to PCHS for more doubleheader action. Game 3 will begin at noon with Game 4 following shortly after at 4 p.m.
