Second game explosion earns split for baseball at Yavapai

  PRESCOTT, AZ - Pounding out 15 runs on 16 hits, the third-ranked Mesa baseball team fashioned a 15-7 victory in game two of a doubleheader with ACCAC Division I Yavapai, ranked No. 5 in the NJCAA Division I poll, to earn a split of the conference doubleheader Saturday.

  MCC suffered an 8-2 loss in game one after an uncharacteristic poor start by Tyler Carvalho (So., Lancaster, Calif/Paraclete H.S.) and only a five-hit attack.

  The split leaves the T-Birds in second place overall in the ACCAC with a 32-9, 20-8 record.

  Brady Bate (Fr., Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork H.S.) had the biggest bat in the nightcap,.going 4-5 with five RBIs and a pair of doubles. He helped ignite a three-run first inning and had a major hand in MCC's three-run fourth, as well as the sixth when Mesa built a 12-6 lead.

  Alex Gudac (So., West Jordan, Utah/Juan Diego Catholic H.S.) was 3-6 with a pair of doubles. Jacob Boston (Fr., Chandler, AZ/Hamilton H.S.) was also 3-6 and had three RBIs including his first home run of the year. Hunter Robson (Fr., Chandler, AZ/Hamilton H.S.) also homered, his first of the season.

  Bate was the only T-Bird with a multiple-hit game in the opener, going 2-2 with two doubles, making him 6-8 for the day with four doubles and five RBIs. His 16 doubles tie him for second in the nation behind teammate Mitchell Morimoto (Fr., Issaquah, Wash/Issaquah H.S.) who has 17.

  Mesa returns home Monday for its final non-conference game of the year, taking on the Arizona Christian JV at 3:00 p.m.