The Basics

Game 1: Evangel 5, #10 Central Methodist 14

Game 2: Evangel 6, #14 Central Methodist 15

Records: Evangel (22-22, 9-15 Heart); Central Methodist (32-8, 16-4 Heart)

Location: Fayette, Mo. – Estes Field

FAYETTE, Mo. – The Evangel baseball team came up just short Saturday in a pair of losses at No. 10 Central Methodist, 14-5, and an extra inning, 15-14, loss in game two.

Evangel dropped just its second Heart South Division series of the year, as 10th-ranked Central Methodist was able to out-slug the Crusaders four times.

In game one, the Crusaders took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning before the Eagles scored three runs to take a 6-4 lead. After making it a one-run, game in the fifth inning Central Methodist exploded for seven runs in the sixth to seal the win.

Ryan Frye went deep for Evangel for his second home run of the season. Frye finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and 2 RBIs. Blake McCarty and Jose Vargas also recorded multiple hits as the Crusaders matched the Eagles with 11 hits apiece.

Derek Kennell earned just his third loss of the year as he was charged with six runs and five hits in four innings pitched.

In game two, both teams again went back and forth, as CMU pulled out an extra inning win with a walk-off home run by DeAndre Smith. It was Smith's second home run of the game.

Evangel took an 8-6 lead after four innings and extend it to 10-6 in the top of the fifth. However, the Eagles answered with a four-run bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 10-10. The see-saw battle continued as each team scored two runs in the sixth and seventh innings before the walk-off by CMU in the bottom of the eighth.

Jose Vargas hit his second home run of the series and finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored for Evangel. McCarty continued to swing a hot bat with five RBIs after going 3-for-5 as well, while Dustin Hargus also recorded three hits and a pair of RBIs.

Taylor Wood started the game but earned a no-decision as the Crusader bullpen allowed just six hits between Josh Lachnit, Bret Hoffman and Deric Link.

UP NEXT
Evangel closes its road swing Tuesday at Culver-Stockton in a Heart North-South double-header. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

For the latest information on Evangel athletics, follow the Crusaders on Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelAthletics or go to www.EvangelAthletics.com.

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