Marshall, Mo. – Evangel ended the regular season with a split of a doubleheader at Missouri Valley on Friday losing game one 6-2 and winning the second game 5-2. 

The Crusaders went to 29-14 and 15-7 in the league to finish tied for third in the conference standings. Missouri Valley ended the regular season 14-28 and 8-14 in the Heart. 

Four Evangel errors proved fatal in game one as Missouri Valley took advantage for a 6-2 win. The Crusaders kept a 1-0 through three innings until the Vikings scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth capitalizing on two defensive miscues by Evangel. Missouri Valley scored single tallies in the next two innings with an Evangel error playing a role in those runs as well. 

Kasey Zukow went 3 for 4 at the plate for Evangel with an RBI. Micahaela Tolliver (12-9) took the loss only with two of the six runs allowing being earned. 

The Crusaders racked up a dozen hits in game two but had to come from a 2-1 deficit after three innings to win 5-2. Evangel tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth on an RBI double by Kasey Zukow. The Crusaders took the lead in the next inning as Brittany Arnold's single drove in two runs and Zukow picked up another RBI with a single that put Evangel up 5-2. 

Cassidy Gillihan went 3 for 4 in the game for Evangel with a run scored, an RBI and a double. Kyra Parker (15-5) got the win going 7 innings allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs with no walks and 6 strikeouts. 

Evangel opens play in the Heart of America conference tournament on Thursday, May 5 in Overland Park, Kansas. The Crusaders are seeded third and will play their opening round game against the sixth seeded team at 2 p.m. in the eight-team, double-elimination event.