The Basics
Game 1: Evangel 6, Avila 5 | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 4, Avila 5 (9 Innings) | Box Score
Records: Evangel (14-12, 6-1); Avila (16-10, 2-5)
Location: Springfield, Mo. | Crusader Field

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Evangel baseball team won its third straight series Saturday taking game one 6-5 before falling in extra innings, 5-4 against Avila in Heart South Division action.

Game One
Evangel got its third straight solid outing from a starting pitcher in game one as Dustin Eby earned his fourth win of the season. Eby tossed six innings and scattered eight hits while striking out seven and walking just two helping Evangel secure the series win.

Patrick Gaul paced the Evangel offense with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first inning. He scored on a sacrifice fly and would later score in the third inning on a wild pitch after reaching on a walk.

A triple by Mason Baur scored Ryan Frye in the sixth inning and two batters later, Jordan Yates singled home Baur to give Evangel a 6-4 lead. The Eagles added a run in the top of the seventh, but Tanner McVey came on with two runners on to earn his fifth save of the season.

Gaul finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored while McVey and Dylan Bradshaw each tallied two hits apiece.

Game Two
The second game of the series needed extra innings before Avila came out with a 5-4 win over Evangel.

Evangel held a 3-1 lead after the second inning, but Avila scored a run in the top of the fourth to pull within a run. The Crusaders would be held scoreless over the next six innings before trying to rally in the bottom of the ninth.

A home run with two outs in the top of the seventh tied the game and the Eagles took their first lead of the series in the top of the ninth with two runs. Evangel answered with a double from Tanner McVey as he scored on an RBI single from Dylan Bradshaw.

Bradshaw finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs in the second game as Evangel left 11 runners on base.

Mason Baur earned the no-decision after tossing four innings and allowing just two runs on six hits. Ben Loge was solid through 4.1 innings, but the home run in the seventh sent the game to extra innings.

Up Next
Evangel hits the road for the first time in conference play next weekend at Baker. First pitch Friday and Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the four-game series.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, follow the Crusaders on Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelAthletics or go to www.EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the Go Evangel Front Row App at EvangelAthletics.com/FrontRow available on Google Play and in the App Store.

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