The Basics
Game 1: Evangel 12, MidAmerica Nazarene 4 | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 5, MidAmerica Nazarene 7 (9 Innings) | Box Score
Records: Evangel (17-16, 9-5); MidAmerica Nazarene (14-10, 9-5)
Location: Springfield, Mo. | Crusader Field

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A wild pair of games saw the Evangel baseball team earn a split Friday with MidAmerica Nazarene in a 12-4 win in game one before falling 7-5 in extra innings in the nightcap.

Game One
The Crusader offense struck early and often Friday in game one with a 12-4 win over MidAmerica Nazarene. Evangel out-hit the Pioneers, 19-7, which was aided by an eight run fifth inning.

Evangel scored in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from Tanner McVey to score Patrick Gaul. The Crusaders would add three more runs in the fourth inning before breaking the game open in the fifth.

MNU scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to pull within a run at 3-4, however, six of the eight hits in the inning came with two outs for Evangel. A double deep in the gap in left by Dustin Hargus cleared the bases and highlighted the inning.

All nine starters in the batting order finished with at least one hit as Hargus, Rafael Rodriguez and Harrison Stevens each finished 3-for-4. Rodriguez and McVey added three RBIs each as Gabe Franklin added a triple.

Dustin Eby earned his fifth win, going five innings and striking out five. He allowed four hits and three runs before leaving the game. McVey came in for the sixth to hold the Pioneers to just two hits and a run before Bryan Adames finished a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts.

Game Two
A wild second game saw the Evangel pitchers hold MidAmerica Nazarene to just one hit through the first six innings. However, six walks kept the game close including tied at 4-4 through the middle innings.

Evangel managed to break the tie in the fifth inning when pinch runner Kyler Bybee scored for Rafael Rodriguez who was hit by a pitch. Bybee scored on an odd play that saw two Pioneer errors on the play before sliding safely into home and dislodging the ball from the MNU catcher.

The Pioneers tied the game back up at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning as the game entered into extras. MNU broke the tie in the top of the ninth and held on for a 7-5 win.

Austin Dill came on in the second to hold MNU to just two hits over six innings of work. Mason Baur was unable to get out of the ninth inning as he was charged with the loss before Colin Irvine finished the final two outs.

Patrick Gaul hit a lead-off home run in the first inning to extend his hit streak to 10 straight games. Gaul was later intentionally walked in extra innings and left on base. Evangel again out-hit MidAmerica Nazarene 11-7 as Jordan Yates, Tanner McVey, Gabe Franklin and Jose Vargas each tallied two hits in the loss.

Up Next
Evangel and MidAmerica Nazarene are scheduled to finish their four-game series on Saturday at Crusader Field. 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. 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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