HESSTON, Kan. — A late push at the plate wasn't enough for Southwestern Christian University Eagles, who fell 9–4 to Hesston College Larks on Monday afternoon.

Southwestern Christian (12–4) trailed for most of the contest before showing life in the final two innings, but Hesston's early offensive surge and capitalizing on defensive miscues proved decisive.

Hesston Takes Control Midgame

The game was tight early, with neither team scoring through the first two innings. Hesston broke through in the third on a sacrifice fly, then added another run in the fourth to build a 2–0 lead.

The pivotal moment came in the fifth inning. After a pair of runners reached base, Hesston plated three runs—two of them unearned following defensive errors—to extend the lead to 5–0. The Larks later added a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 7–0 and seize full momentum.

SCU Shows Late Fight

Southwestern Christian finally cracked the scoreboard in the eighth inning. A double by J. Duran set up an RBI groundout from B. Browning, and N. Anderson followed with another run-scoring groundout to trim the deficit to 7–2.

Hesston answered immediately with two runs in the bottom half to stretch the margin back to seven.

The Eagles mounted one last rally in the ninth. D. Ornelas reached and later scored when E. Dudamel launched a two-run home run, accounting for the final 9–4 margin.

By the Numbers

• Southwestern Christian recorded 5 hits and 4 runs, while Hesston totaled 9 hits and 9 runs.

• E. Dudamel led SCU offensively, going 1-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs.

• J. Duran added a two-hit performance, including a double.

• Hesston's T. Lane powered the offense with a home run and two RBIs.

On the Mound

• SCU starter A. Paredes took the loss despite allowing just two runs over four innings while striking out five.

• Hesston reliever A. Shipp earned the win with three scoreless innings of work.

The Difference: Defense and Timely Hits

While Southwestern Christian stayed within reach early thanks to solid starting pitching, six defensive errors led to multiple unearned runs and extended innings for Hesston.

Those extra opportunities allowed the Larks to build a cushion the Eagles could not overcome despite their late offensive spark.

Up Next

The Eagles will look to clean up defensive mistakes and carry their late-game momentum into their next outing as they continue the early-season schedule.