BASEBALL BOUNCES BACK TO SPLIT WITH DORDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In their third and fourth home games of 2025, Avila baseball split two on Saturday with Dordt – and took two of the four total games – losing in the first game, 8-4 before coming back to win the second, 17-6.

In game number one, the Eagles and Defenders played relatively evenly through the first six innings.

A Thomas English RBI double in the second inning was followed by a two-run fourth inning thanks to a Robby Cable RBI single and a Landon Vahle bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. Through four innings, Avila held a 3-2 lead.

Dordt took the game over thanks to a crooked inning in the top of the seventh as Avila attempted to shut the door on the win.

An RBI single followed by an error on Dober loaded the bases. Dordt's Morgan Wilkins blasted a grand slam over the right field fence to take the lead.

Avila got a run back in the seventh on a Dober RBI single, but the Eagles would open the day with the 8-4 loss.

Antonio Villalobos made a strong start, pitching five innings with just two earned runs in his first home appearance of the season.

The Eagles were able to get their revenge in the second end of the doubleheader, putting up a seven-spot in the bottom half of the first.

The first six batters of the game reached base for Avila, helping them hang seven runs on the board in the first inning.

Avila added three more in the third inning on a Gio Armas single and a Vahle two-RBI double.

Through three, Avila held a 10-0 lead.

There would be more.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles put up six thanks to three RBI singles, a sac fly, an RBI double and a run-scoring error. Through five, Avila had an astounding 16-0 lead.

Dordt would score six in the top of the sixth inning and Avila would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to finalize the eventual 17-6 scoreline.

Joey Reichmuth threw a solid start on the mound, tossing five innings of four-run ball with four strikeouts. Ryan Wingerd came in and shut the door in the seventh to send the two teams with a series split.

When a team scored 17 runs in a seven-inning game, they are bound to have big performances at the plate.

From the leadoff position, Gio Armas went 4-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Vahle and Zach Dillman had three-RBI games of their own. In total, nine Eagles scored a run – including four alone from JJ Stubblefield. Five Avila batters had multi-run games and 10 players finished with at least one RBI in the game.

Weather permitting, Avila will visit Kansas Christian at 3 PM on Tuesday before opening up KCAC play on Friday and Saturday, hosting Saint Mary.

(photo credit: Albert Guerrero).