KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- The Asbury baseball team (29-14) met up with Kansas Christian College (32-17) Friday night in the opening round of the NCCAA World Series, the first meeting ever between these two schools. Asbury got out to an early 2-0 lead and never trailed as the strong pitching of Alec Lush led them to a 3-1 victory over the 7 seeded Kansas Christian. 

Alec Lush was brilliant in this opening round of the NCCAA World series, going 7 complete innings allowing only 1 hit (the first hit for KCC came in the 6th), 1 run and striking out 5. This win marks Alec's team leading 8th of the season for AU, and the 22nd for his incredible Asbury career. Lush handed the ball off to Jackson Cole who did nothing but get the final six outs of the game for his 3rd save of the season, all 3 coming in postseason play.  

The game was a pitcher's dual throughout with only 5 combined hits as Kansas Christian's Mendez and Asbury's Lush each put together solid outings. However, AU managed to scratch 2 runs in the very first inning off a single, 3 walks, and an error. Jackson Cole led the game off with a base hit and was later scored on a Matthew Baker RBI from a KCC error. Two batters later Noah Brown worked a 7 pitch at-bat into a walk that scored Walker Paris, (2-0 AU).

The score stayed 2-0 until AU struck again in the 4th from an Alec Lush double down the left field line that scored Noah Brown all the way from first, 3-0 AU. 

Kansas Christian scored their only run in the 5th on an AU two-out error, but Lush minimized to only allow 1 run. 3 runs proved to be enough for AU as they held on to take the victory over Kansas Christian, 3-1.

This win is number 29 for Asbury on the season and makes them 1-0 so far in the NCCAA World Series. 

* Alec Lush was spectacular, allowing only 1 hit and 1 run in 7.0 innings, winning his 8th game of the season

* Jackson Cole got his third save so far in this postseason for AU, this time grabbing the last 6 outs

* Noah Brown was 1-2 with an RBI, run scored, and 2 walks

* Alec Lush collected win number 8 on the season, 22 in his career

* Lush and Cole allowed only 2 hits in the game

"The offense came out and got us off to a good start scoring 2 runs in the first inning. From there it was a defensive game and we came out on top. We didn't play our best but we still got the job done."

     * Senior Pitcher, Alec Lush

Asbury moves on to the winners bracket to face Concordia University Ann Arbor (2 seed) at 12 pm tomorrow. AU will play at 6 pm tomorrow as well, the opponent depends on the results from game one.

*The photo for this recap is courtesy of Southwestern Christian University Sports Information Director Chase Schlebach. Thank you Chase!