The Basics
Game 1: Evangel 3, Avila 4 | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 3, Avila 8 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (17-29, 13-21); Avila (34-19, 20-12)
Location: Kansas City, Mo. | The Zarda Complex

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A pair of late rallies saw the Evangel softball team drop a double-header at Avila, 4-3 and 8-3 on Tuesday afternoon.

Game One
Evangel fell victim to a late sixth inning rally by Avila in the first game dropping a 4-3 Heart road game.

Starter Bridget Rippe outdueled Kayleigh Behymer but earned the loss as the Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rippe walked none and struck out two while scattering seven hits, four of which came in that sixth inning.

The Crusaders out-hit Avila 10-7 and scored a run in the second, third and fourth innings to build a 3-1 lead. However, Evangel was held to just two hits over the final three innings by Behymer and the Eagles.

Michelle Sheppard, Lauren Chambers, and AJ Carpenter all tallied two hits in the game. Sheppard added to her stolen base count as well in the top of the third inning before scoring on an RBI by Chambers.

Game Two
An early lead again was erased by Avila in the second game as Evangel fell 8-3. The Crusaders jumped out to a quick 2-1 lead in the first inning.

However, after extending the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning, Avila rallied in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-3 lead in part to a 2-run home run by Maddy Mann.

Lauren Chambers and Kami Holt again finished with multiple hits while Holt and Taylor Good each added a double. Evangel also left seven base runners in the loss.

Abby Emmitt was charged with the loss as she took a no-hitter into the fourth inning that saw Avila take its first lead of the game. Emmitt finished the fifth inning before Taylor Kister pitched the sixth inning and was also charged with three runs.

Up Next
Evangel returns home Friday and Saturday to close out the regular season in a battle for the fifth and final spot in the Heart Tournament next week in Springfield. The Crusaders sit tied for the final spot with Benedictine with four games left in the regular season. First pitch on Friday against Grand View is scheduled for noon.

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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