FIFTH INNING POWERS BASEBALL TO HOME-OPENER VICTORY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Taking the field at The Z for the first time in 2026, Avila baseball used a seven-run fifth inning to defeat Kansas Christian, 13-3, on Wednesday afternoon in the team's home opener.

The game started with a strong wind blowing out to left field and Kansas Christian took advantage, belting a two-run shot in the top of the first inning.

Luckily for Avila, the wind stayed around..

In the bottom of the first inning, Tommy English cut into the Falcon lead with a solo shot over the left field wall. After one, Avila trailed 2-1.

Kansas Christian would add another homer to left in the second inning. Shutdown pitching from Avila's starter, Corbin Hamman, and Brendan McBride in relief would keep the Falcons off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.

A Kansas Christian pitching change in the bottom of the third put Avila's bats on attack.

Trailing 3-1 after their first two innings at bat, Avila tied the game in the third off the Falcons' reliever.

Second baseman Isaiah Ramos belted Avila's second home run of the day – another solo shot to left field.

The next batter, Avila's speedster, Emmanuel Ealey, raced to third on a triple and was promptly brought home by a JJ Dain single as the lineup turned over.

After facing an early deficit, Avila tied the game at three after three innings.

The fifth inning was where the Eagles put the game out of reach.

Dain opened the inning with a single and was driven in two batters later by a Tommy English double. English was immediately knocked in by Joey Reichmuth's single.

With runners on the corners two batters later, Aaron Mcleod-Smith belted a two-RBI double to the right-center gap to give Avila its sixth and seventh runs of the game.

Vinny Neilson and Ealey would add two more Eagle RBI in the fifth.

After Ealey reached first, there were runners on the corner. Following a botched Kansas Christian rundown, Ramos scored Avila's seventh and final run of the inning to put Avila ahead 10-3 after five.

Three more runs came in the bottom of the sixth from Avila – Reichmuth's second RBI of the game, followed by a balk and an error to give Avila a 10-run advantage.

A shutdown top of the seventh from McBride on the mound gave Avila a 13-3, seven-inning victory, its third run-rule win of the young season.

The win was Avila's sixth in its first eight games, the first time winning six of the first eight games in a season since 2018.

Eight Eagles recorded at least one hit in the contest and seven drove in at least one run – including two each from English, Reichmuth and Mcleod-Smith – in the victory.

On the mound, Corbin Hamman pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three runs and keeping Avila in the game early.

Coming out of the bullpen, Brendan McBride shut Kansas Christian down, tossing 2.2 innings, striking out a pair and allowing just one baserunner.

Avila opens up the home portion of KCAC play with three games against Kansas Wesleyan on Thursday and Friday. First pitch from The Z on Thursday is slated for 2 PM.

(photo credit: Shomari Finch)