McPherson, KS — April 24, 2026 - When the stage got bigger, the No. 5 seed Nelson University Lions got louder.
With confidence, rhythm, and relentless pressure on both sides of the ball, the Lions stormed into the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinal and left no doubt delivering a commanding two-game sweep over No. 4 Central Christian (Kan.) to secure their spot in the SAC Semifinals.
Game 1
From the very first swing, Nelson set the tone and never let it go.
The Lions struck early with a first-inning RBI knock from Zeke Velazquez, then kept stacking pressure inning after inning. By the middle frames, the floodgates opened. A two-run blast from Ethan Starks in the fifth ignited a full-on offensive eruption, and Nelson poured in seven runs across the sixth and seventh innings to put the game out of reach.
Nelson racked up 12 hits and 11 runs, showcasing depth from top to bottom in the lineup. Multiple Lions delivered multi-hit performances, while aggressive base running kept Central Christian on its heels all afternoon.
But the story of Game 1 wasn't just offense, it was dominance on the mound.
Reagan Smith was surgical.
The right-hander spun a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits across seven innings while striking out five and controlling the pace from start to finish. Central Christian never found an answer, as Smith and the Lions defense slammed the door with authority.
Game 2
Game 2 tested the Lions early but they responded.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, Nelson didn't flinch. Instead, they answered immediately.
A two-run homer from Addison Patton flipped the momentum in the second inning, and Drew Ortiz followed with a solo shot in the third to give Nelson the lead for good. From there, the Lions played poised, efficient baseball—manufacturing runs, capitalizing on mistakes, and controlling the tempo.
Mitchell Baker delivered a clutch performance at the plate with two doubles and two RBIs, while Patton added another big swing late to help seal it.
On the mound, Javier Balderas settled in after the early punch, going six strong innings with seven strikeouts to earn the win. The bullpen duo of Dylan Zajicek and Luke Edmonds shut things down late, holding Central Christian scoreless over the final three frames to secure the victory.
Next Up
The Lions advance.
- Sooner Athletic Conference Championship Tournament Semifinals
- Time & Opponent: TBD
Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
