Lewiston, Idaho - The Firestorm dugout erupted following Andrew Ivy's tone-setting two-run home run in the third inning, and Arizona Christian continued to let the runs flow in a dominant 17-10 win over eight-seed Kansas Wesleyan in Game 1 of the 2024 Avista NAIA World Series. A 17-run onslaught by ACU tied for the fifth-most scored this season, but was certainly magnified by the enormity of the moment. With the Friday morning victory, the Firestorm moved to 4-0 at Harris Field dating back to the recent Opening Round and 4-0 in their all-time series against the KWU Coyotes.

Besides advancing in the winner's bracket, ACU secured a date with one-seed Southeastern tomorrow afternoon at 3:05 PM.

Ivy, one among nine players who recorded at least one hit, stole the show with three RBI and five runs on the base pads. His five runs tied an all-time Avista NAIA World Series record for most runs scored in a single game. The center fielder's bat was never cold at any point this season (27-game hit streak displays that clearly) but his performance in Lewiston has been nothing short of incredible. His previous four games feature eight hits, seven RBI and nine runs.

Kane Kiaunis tied a season-high mark of four hits, three of them producing runs for the Firestorm. The All-GSAC third baseman also had a double in the third for one of five ACU extra-base knocks.

Marques Titialii broke the game open with a three-run home run in the sixth frame (8-1, ACU) and walked in another run in the seventh. The All-GSAC and Gold Glove left fielder increased his hitting streak to 17 games and has now batted in four runs in three consecutive games.

The hot hitting continued with Trey Tarver who got the ball rolling today, responsible for the Firestorm's first hit of the game. He has now reached safely nine of his last 11 times at the plate after a 2-for-3 performance (three walks).

Eli Elliott was superb in his 16th start of the season, throwing eight strikeouts and limiting the high-octane Coyotes offense to just three runs in six complete innings. He picked up his eighth win of 2024 and 19th of his four-year career at Arizona Christian.

The senior from Glendale passed fellow starter Adrian Santa Cruz (100 strikeouts) for most strikeouts in a single-season, cruising to 107. How far the Firestorm advance in Lewiston will most likely determine this two-man race, Santa Cruz being a probable starter in one of the next two games.

GAME INFO

Score: RV Arizona Christian 17 | #20 Kansas Wesleyan 10
Records: RV ACU 37-19 | #20 KWU 48-11
Location: Harris Field - Lewiston, ID

STAT TRACKER

Kane Kiaunis - 4 hits, 4 RBI, 1 double
Andrew Ivy - 2 hits, 3 RBI, 5 runs, 1 home run
Marques Titialii - 2 hits, 4 RBI, 1 home run
Trey Tarver - 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 runs
Matthew Beckworth - 2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 double
Ryan Eastham - 2 hits, 1 double
Sean Garcia - 1 hit, 2 runs
Jaylen Edmonds - 1 hit, 1 run
Noah DeLuca - 1 hit, 1 run
Eli Elliott - 6.0 IP, 3 RA, 8 K

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Back-to-back two-out singles by Tarver and Kiaunis would be dismissed, as Jarrett Brannen (KWU starter) forced a Jared Anderson groundout to spoil the Firestorm's first scoring opportunity. The ACU defense then stranded a base runner of their own (Jacob Williamson) after Elliott struck out two straight batters to reach and eclipse the 100-strikeout milestone.

Both teams would be retired in order in the second, Elliott punching out his third batter in the form of first baseman Zack Beatty. 

Edmonds led off the third with an error-aided single that saw him standing on second base. Ivy then unloaded on one and gave ACU a 2-0 lead with a two-run bomb to right field. Two more base hits (Tarver, Kiaunis) teed up Anderson, who did a job with a groundout RBI to shortstop Jarrett Gable.

Elliott surrendered a second hit in the third but sprinkled in two strikeouts for another scoreless outing and five punch outs in only 10 batters faced. The fourth inning played out to the same tune as the second, both squads going "three up, three down." 

The Firestorm took advantage of Kansas Wesleyan's second error, Tarver sending Ivy through home on a groundout to first. Titialii singled to upgrade his hitting streak to 17 games, but would be left on third base following two retirements by Brannen. KWU's Beatty avenged a strikeout in his first at-bat with a solo home run off of Elliott, who would allow nothing more to make it 4-1 through five complete.

Ryan Eastham and Matthew Beckworth occupied first and second with two outs on the board in the sixth. Ivy blitzed Brannen a second time, a single painting the right-field line and bringing in a run. Titialii then firmly stamped "two-out rally" on this inning with a three-run shot. ACU was not yet finished, as Kiaunis singled with Tarver on second to spot four runs on the Coyotes. 

Elliott's armor was chipped a bit in the sixth, as KWU added two on back-to-back batters (Gable foul out, and Cruz Oxford flyout). A lead-off walk of Williamson was Elliott's first and Kendall Foster rapped the Coyotes' second extra-base hit (double).

Any sign of momentum shift was silenced, the first three Firestorm players reaching safely in the seventh capped by Beckworth's RBI-double. Cesar Rodriguez, the Coyote's second reliever, struck out his first batter (Edmonds) but walked the next three and the ACU lead was now nine (12-3). Kiaunis delivered yet again with a fielder's choice play to third that cleared a path for Ivy.

Chay Esqueda relieved Elliott in the seventh and led the Firestorm to their third "one, two, three" inning with two force outs and one strikeout.

Sean Garcia's first hit would be rewarded, as Titialii benefitted from KWU's third error to reach first and send Garcia and pinch runner Noah DeLuca through home plate. With runners on first and second, Kiaunis clutched up for the third consecutive inning with a two-RBI single to no-man's land in center.

Despite Esqueda collecting two early outs, a fielding error by Kiaunis sustained what would have been their sixth scoreless inning. Oxford went ahead and magnified the mistake, the next man up smashing a  three-run home run. Beatty ushered in another run (Eric Romero) with a double before Riley Quinton entered to end the inning's damage at four.

ACU's scoring streak would be cut at four innings, DeLuca left on base after a pinch-hit single to right center. Though Quinton would close it out on the next batter he faced, Oxford got his money's worth with a second three-run home run and finished with seven RBI.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH JOE MCDONALD

"I am very proud of these guys and how they've showed up to play in the postseason," Coach McDonald said. "Today was another great team victory behind a solid start on the bump and our hitters had good discipline sticking to the plan and focusing on our strengths. I love this team!"

NEXT FOR THE FIRESTORM

Arizona Christian earned a date with #1 Southeastern on Saturday in Game 7 of the 2024 Avista NAIA World Series. The first winner's bracket game at the NAIA's final site is scheduled for a 3:05 PM first pitch. Don't miss a single play with live stats at https://naiastats.prestosports.com/links/9z95at and watch the action at https://naiastats.prestosports.com/links/elx90d. 

                          
Roll Storm!