Parkhill tosses shutout in opener of doubleheader sweep as C-SC earns conference tournament bid

ATCHISON, Kan. — The Culver-Stockton College baseball team on Saturday earned a berth in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2021 by sweeping a doubleheader from Benedictine College by scores of 1-0 and 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Olsen Stadium.

C-SC, which finished the regular season with a 21-23 record and a 15-17 mark in the Heart, is the seventh seed and will play eighth-seeded Clarke (Iowa) at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 1, at the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex in Ozark, Mo. If the Wildcats win, they will play second-seeded MidAmerica Nazarene at 8:30 p.m. later that night. If the Wildcats lose, they will play the loser of the Mount Mercy/Park game at 10 a.m. Friday, May 2.

The Wildcats entered Saturday needing just one victory to clinch their playoff berth. Cole Parkhill, a Quincy (Ill.) High School graduate, hurled a complete game, seven-hit shutout in the opener to seal the bid for the Wildcats. He walked four and struck out seven to earn his third victory this spring.

The Ravens collected three singles in the first inning but did not score. One runner was cut down at the plate, and Parkhill recorded a strikeout to end the threat.

Benedictine loaded the bases in the fourth inning with two outs but Parkhill induced a ground ball to end the inning.

Parkhill retired the first two batters in the seventh before walking the next two batters to put the winning run on base. However, Parkhill got a popup for the final out. Benedictine stranded 10 runners in the game.

The Wildcats were limited to three hits in the game. They scored their only run in the fourth inning on Jaison Andujar’s solo home run. It was Andujar’s 22nd career home run, tying him with teammate Jordan Scott for third all-time on the C-SC career list.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 5-2 lead after four innings in the second game and held on for the victory. 

Kendall Rivero and Tim Meyer collected two hits each, while Jack Linenfelser drove home two runs with a single and a hit by pitch. Starter Josh Martini allowed two runs in the first three innings, then reliever Clay Street, Jared Marty and Isaiah Naylor allowed one run in the final four innings. Naylor earned his fifth save of the season.